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About the film:

This is a story of five men who shared a common dream as boys: the dream of growing up and playing major league baseball. Five men: each of whose dreams were dashed at an early age due to blindness. Five men, whose stories differ in detail, yet share that one common element. Their stories unfold in chapters like the innings of a baseball game with them sitting in the bleachers. Each inning becomes a chapter from their lives as they relate the hardships of overcoming the painful reality of never seeing again, to the struggle to create a new dream. All are masterful storytellers whose tales become easy for us to identify with and whose perseverance we can admire.

The line-up includes:

Ed Lucas, now a reporter for the New York Yankees. Ed lost his sight after being inspired by Bobby Thompson’s famous home run “heard 'round the world” in 1959. He and his friends were so excited that they took to the streets to play a pickup game of baseball and a line drive hit him between the eyes rendering him blind. His dream was shattered, but he never lost his love for the game.

Pat Cannon, who lost his sight more gradually as he, nonetheless, continued the struggle to keep his dream alive.

Neal Freeling, who was born without sight but fell in love with baseball announcer Mel Allen’s voice as his words brought the game to life. These radio voices became Neil’s “friends” since the boys in his neighborhood shunned him. The game of baseball became his true pastime.

Craig Lynch, who has never seen a baseball field in his life, but who now sits in the bleachers at Wrigley Field reporting on games for the Chicago Cubs he cannot see.

Paul Parravano, known as the MIT King and honored for his remarkable contributions to this prestigious university. His love of baseball motivated him to achieve greatness.

About the filmmaker:

Karen Hunter is the founder of Rose Mountain Productions (RMPRO) and producer- cinematographer of three award-winning documentaries. Karen's initial vision of Rose Mountain Productions was sparked when an opportunity arose to travel with a team of doctors and researchers to videotape families with Huntington’s disease in the barrios of Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela. Karen witnessed extremely poor living conditions and unimaginable poverty in these communities, which left a long and lasting impression. Following her experiences in the Venezuela barrios, Karen earned a professional certificate in digital filmmaking in 2005. For her final student project, she co-produced, co-directed, and co-edited “The Poetry of Steeples: Change Ringing in Boston,” a documentary about the history of the first English style bells in the U.S. that hung in the tower of the Old North Church in 1745. The bells first were rung by Paul Revere. By the beginning of 2009, Karen completed three feature-length documentaries as a producer. Titled “PlaybyPlayMen and The Art of the Perfect Call,” “HENRY O!” and “Bleacher Boys,” her documentaries have won several awards, including the 2009 Breckenridge Festival of Film Best Latin Film award for “HENRY O!,” the 2009 Connecticut Film Festival Award for Best Documentary: Sports-Team for “HENRY O!,” the 2009 Beverly Hills Film Festival Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary for “HENRY O!,” the 2009 Accolade Award of Excellence for Feature Documentary for “Bleacher Boys,” the 2007 New England Film and Video Festival Best Documentary Feature Award for “PlayByPlayMen and the Art of the Perfect Call,” and the 2007 Central Florida Film Festival Best Documentary Finalist for “PlayByPlayMen and the Art of the Perfect Call.”

Prior to Karen’s filmmaking aspirations, she co-owned and operated a successful restaurant for ten years, The Old Vienna Kaffeehaus and Restaurant in Westborough Massachusetts from 1986 to 1997. In addition to her culinary and pastry skills, she has extensive training in fine arts. Karen is a graduate of Quinsigimond Community College with an Associates Degree in Science for applied arts/graphic arts and University of Massachusetts Lowell with a BA in graphic design.