By Sarah Freedman
Contributing Writer
HUDSON — Hudson actor Russ Gannon is swinging for the fences in his latest role in Carson Lund’s film “Eephus.”
The independent movie, which was filmed in Douglas, Mass., is set in the early 1990s and takes place in the span of one last baseball game between two amateur teams, Adler’s Paint and the Riverdogs, before the field is torn down to make way for a new middle school. It premiered at the 77th Cannes Film Festival on May 9, 2024, and was released in the United States on March 14 in select theaters.
Produced by Music Box Films, the film is about more than baseball – it’s “really about the end of something,” according to Gannon. It’s about the “third space” that people have outside of work and home; the film is an homage to a simpler time.
He added, “This is sort of their home away from home. It’s where they can just be who they are.”
The movie is named for the eephus, an off-speed pitch meant to trick the batter. Although it is thrown overhand, it is similar to a slow-pitch softball delivery and has a high arc. It has been used by players such as Boston Red Sox pitchers Luis Tiant and Bill Lee, who also stars in “Eephus.”
Gannon, who has worked both in radio as an FM DJ at 92.5 the River, began his career as an extra in “The Game Plan,” which starred Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and has since acted at the Wilbur Theater in the Whitey-Bulger-based play “Hunting Whitey” and as a stand-in for Clancy Brown in “Dexter: New Blood.”
He plays Bill Belinda, a family-oriented man who plays for the Riverdogs.
Gannon said, “My character … is one of the few characters that is portrayed as a family man. I liked the idea that there were scenes in which the character interacts with his on-screen family and shows what is truly important to him.”
Gannon grew up playing Little League in Needham and later in a softball league, so he had baseball experience. In fact, he described himself as a good player who had to lower his playing ability and said his character was “the only player on the field whose family comes to the game.”
The baseball abilities on set ranged from beginner to pretty good, and the actors practiced the fundamentals. Said Gannon: “Of course, since most of us haven’t played in years, we all wound up with various bruises and lumps. When you see us hobbling around the bases in the film, that wasn’t acting.”
The film was shot for 30 days in October 2022 at Soldiers Field in Douglas, which itself is a part of history as the Red Sox and New York Yankees played a 1946 scrimmage game to celebrate the town of Douglas’ 200th anniversary.
Gannon said, “The experience was incredible. When you spend that much time on the field with that many people, you start to develop a camaraderie with the other actors. Every day, we would throw the ball around, start conversations and start ribbing the other players.”
The film also stars WRKO Red Sox Announcer Joe Castiglione and Lee, who earned the moniker “Spaceman” in his career. He said Lee is “a very funny guy,” and Castiglione is someone he knew from working as a board operator in 1990 at WRKO.
After Lee suffered from a cardiac episode mid-game in August 2022, the film crew was worried he may not be able to do the film. However, he not only was able to film, but played catch, signed some baseball cards, and shared stories about past players.
Of the release, Gannon said, “We’re so excited for people to finally get a chance to see this film. We think it has legs.”
To watch a trailer and see showtimes, visit www.eephusfilm.com. Check out the film on Instagram (@eephusfilm) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/musicboxfilms).
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