Storytelling, Bull Durham, and its connection to the WooSox

Million-dollar arm, five cent brain. Breathing out of eyelids. The “Player To Be Named Later.” Candlesticks make nice wedding gifts.

Released to theaters in the summer of 1988, Bull Durham became an instant classic––iconic for its one-liners and scratch-your-head scenes.

There are few sports movies that are passed down from generation to generation and reap lasting success. Yet, that’s exactly what Bull Durham has done. The film brought national attention to the Durham Bulls and Minor League Baseball while becoming a staple of summer.

Interestingly enough, the film has connections to WooSox President Dr. Charles Steinberg and the Red Sox.

“When the movie Bull Durham came out, Larry Lucchino and I were with the Baltimore Orioles,” Dr. Steinberg began. “So many people who loved baseball loved the movie, but we didn’t know the origin of the stories.”

The writer and director of the film, Ron Shelton, was a minor league infielder from 1967 to 1971. In the final two years of his baseball career, he played for the Rochester Red Wings, who were affiliated with the Baltimore Orioles at the time. Former major leaguers Bobby Grich, Don Baylor, and Johnny Oates were all moving through the farm system with Shelton, blocking him from making his big league debut. By 1972, Shelton had retired from baseball.

Despite being a career minor leaguer, the writer's experience greatly influenced his future aspirations. While Bull Durham’s colorful scenes appeared fantasy-like for professional baseball, they were based on true stories.

When the film debuted in theaters, it was met with shocking success. Several production studios turned down the movie, believing it to be an unprofitable venture. The stories that Shelton had from his baseball career were nearly never told.

Not long after Bull Durham’s boom in theaters, the director was intent on making his next baseball film. Searching for a big league park, the Maryland Film Commission reached out to the Baltimore Orioles, inquiring about using the team’s ballpark. Dr. Steinberg and his long-time colleague, Julie Wagner, agreed to set up a time to meet with Shelton.

One morning in Baltimore, the three met for breakfast to discuss future plans and past inspirations. Dr. Steinberg, who was curious about the outlandish stories in Bull Durham, asked about the validity behind them.

“[Shelton] started giving citations of where so many scenes came from,” Dr. Steinberg explained. “It was full of laughter because he had taken actual moments that he had accumulated throughout his career. He may have fictionalized some aspects about them, but it was all based on reality.

“It was a delicious verbal breakfast to hear Ron Shelton tell the stories that constituted the movie.”

Perhaps the biggest name in Bull Durham was Kevin Costner, who played the role of veteran catcher Crash Davis. A renowned actor and producer, Costner has starred in several baseball films, including Field of Dreams and For the Love of the Game. His work has transcended filmmaking, perfectly encapsulating America’s pastime on the big screen with nostalgia and simplicity.

During the making of JFK, Costner made a pitstop in Baltimore to visit the Orioles. At the time, Dr. Steinberg was a young public relations liaison tasked with showing Costner the clubhouse, taking him to batting practice, and assuring he was provided with everything he needed.

After batting practice, Costner struck up a conversation with the young PR staff member. Dr. Steinberg remembers the discussion vividly.

“He asked if I liked baseball, and I told him, ‘Sure, I loved Bull Durham and I loved Field of Dreams.' He said, ‘There’s one thing both of those movies had in common, and it jumps off the page to an actor. Both writers really loved baseball––as an actor, you feel that. It’s what helps inspire you to want the part.’ That’s a perspective I’ve never had,” Dr. Steinberg said.

Reflecting on the movie and its impact, Dr. Steinberg continued: “On a macro level, Bull Durham…romanticized further the Minor League Baseball experience. I think it has played a role in this surge of popularity in Minor League Baseball. It reminds you that you don’t have to be in New York or LA––you can be in Durham or Worcester, and you may wind up with great, funny storylines. Baseball gives you that––but you have to have your antenna up to recognize the stories.”

This week, the Durham Bulls return to Worcester for their first series at Polar Park since August of 2022. In their last meeting, the teams split the six-game series 3-3. In the third game, Michael Wacha, AJ Politi, and Chase Shugart combined to pitch a no-hitter––the first thrown at Polar Park.

The Bulls’ return is all part of bringing stories––and Worcester––together.

“We have loved the idea, ever since we got here, of the WooSox being home for School Vacation Week,” the WooSox President started. “Finally, in 2024, we were able to work with Major League Baseball on a schedule that coincides with School Vacation Week in the Worcester area. That allows you to have some day games when the team is home…which are preferable to night games.

“You want workers who can’t come to a 6:45 game to be able to come. Worcester is loaded with police officers, firefighters, nurses, teachers––and a lot of these dedicated public servants have varying shifts. A 3 o’clock game in April is an opportunity to tip the cap to them.”

This week will be a tip of the cap in two senses: on the field and on the big screen. As part of the action-packed lineup at Polar Park, the WooSox will be showing Bull Durham on the videoboard immediately following their Wednesday afternoon game on April 17. Current WooSox players will be signing autographs in the DCU Club at that time, too, as part of Polar Park's first-ever Autograph Wednesday.

As Dr. Steinberg puts it, “Any way you look at it, you can see two forms of baseball entertainment: the traditional live game with the Durham Bulls and the Hollywood storytelling version of the Durham Bulls. What a cool doubleheader that is!”