Big Leaguer (movie)

Big Leaguer was a 1953 Hollywood movie about baseball, filmed at the New York Giants Minor League spring training site in Melbourne, Florida. The actors and film crew came during spring training to make the movie. Bit parts were played by some of the actual minor league players in the New York Giants farm system. The stars of the movie were Edward G. Robinson (playing Hans Lobert, called "John Lobert" in the film), Vera Ellen, and Jeff Richards. Other Hollywood stars were Richard Jaeckel and William Campbell. In addition, actual Giants baseball scouts and minor league managers had bit parts in the film. Two players with small parts were Harvey Tomter and Joe Rovner. Tony Ravish was one of the scouts in the movie. Carl Hubbell and Al Campanis also had cameo appearances as themselves.

Personal Recollection

I was a minor league pitcher for the 1953 Oshkosh Giants of the Wisconsin State League, and this movie was shown in the Oshkosh theaters during our season. Since we were all part of the Giants minor league system, and mostly young rookie players that year, it was a rather "heady" experience to be playing in the same city where this film was showing. In a way, it was similar to the showing of the baseball classic, "Bull Durham," in the city of Durham, NC when the Durham Bulls baseball team plays there during the summer. However, I always feel we on the 1953 Oshkosh Giants were the first !

--Submitted by Bill O'Donnell, pitcher, 1953 Oshkosh Giants

External Sites

• IMDB page on Big Leaguer