By Dick Berry - email
Posted by Dave Dykema - email
TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - Hollywood has come to downtown Toledo for three days.
Filming is underway at Fifth Third Field on the movie Home Run Showdown starring Dean Cain, Barry Bostwick, several ex-big leaguers, and hundreds of local extras.
Section 104 of Fifth Third Field was turned into a movie set to shoot the baseball film. The crew spent most of the day getting crowd shots.
Anyone can walk in the park to be an extra. There's no pay, just a chance to appear on the big screen.
Randy Fahringer came down to be an extra. "This is like the first time I think ever in Toledo we've had a movie being filmed here so it's pretty exciting.''
Director Oz Scott says Home Run Showdown is about two brothers involved with two little league teams competing for their father's bar and restaurant.
"I think it does have a message. I think the message is teamwork, playing together," Scott said.
The father of the brothers, Big Al, is played by Barry Bostwick. He says he doesn't follow sports but the wholesome plot line appealed to him.
"I'm a real fan of family films because I've got young kids and there's so few films I can take my kids to see," Bostwick said.
The film also stars former big leaguer Dmitri Young. This is his movie debut and he plays slugger Tank Torpedo.
Young is having a hard time memorizing the lines. He says it's "because I did not take drama in high school."
Matt Joseph just graduated from Sylvania Southview High School. He doesn't have any lines but will get paid $65 for playing a catcher during the home run showdown.
"My hitting coach called me," Joseph said. "He asked if I would like to come out here today. He said to show up, have a chance to be in the movie, so I jumped at it."
Expect to see it theaters next year around Fathers Day.
