Published: June 08, 2009 04:10 pm      

Brennaman to narrate park film project

Ashland — Ashland’s “Field of Dreams” documentary baseball project just got a Hall of Fame upgrade.

Marty Brennaman, the longtime voice of the Cincinnati Reds and one of the most recognizable voices in baseball, has agreed to do the narration for the project.

“This raises it up about two notches,” said David Carter, a former area resident who is producing the documentary. “This guy is a Hall of Fame announcer.

“To have him narrate our story, it just adds validity in every possible way, not to mention the quality of his voice.”

Carter has sent Brennaman the script and the Reds’ announcer will do the work in a studio at Great American Ball Park next week.

State Rep. Kevin Sinnette, a good friend of Brennaman, laid the groundwork for the Hall of Fame announcer to take part in the production, Carter said.

“Six degrees of separation turned out to be one degree,” he said.

Sinnette was with Brennaman during the Memorial Day weekend when he pitched the idea.

“He (Sinnette) talked to me after the holiday and Marty said to give him a call and work out the deal. He gave me his cell number, which surprised me,” Carter said.

Sinnette said it didn’t take much arm-twisting to convince Brennaman to do it. “He was extremely interested,” Sinnette said. “He really likes this area, because we’re Cincinnati Reds’ fans. What little I was able to tell him about it, he was extremely interested.”

Carter told Brennaman he had worked with Mel Allen on a piece for a Mickey Mantle-Whitey Ford Fantasy Camp video. “I told him ‘For this piece, you’re my Mel Allen.’ I think he liked that.”

Brennaman agreed to do the project for only a small fee, Carter said. “I was glad to reach into my pocket for that,” he said.

The idea for the “Field of Dreams” documentary was born about a year ago. It includes interviews with many baseball stars who played in Central Park from the 1950s through today, including Arizona Diamondback Brandon Webb, former Cincinnati Reds great Don Gullett and major league umpires Charlie Reliford and Greg Gibson.

There are also many stars from the 1950s and 1960s who Carter interviewed during last summer’s popular CP-1 Reunion.

The documentary will make its world premiere on Aug. 28 at the Paramount Arts Center starting at 7:30 p.m. It will also be shown on Ohio University Southern’s cable channel the following week and copies will be for sale at the reunion the following day. All the proceeds go directly to Ashland youth baseball.

The version that will be shown at the PAC lasts about an hour and 20 minutes, Carter said. The standard PBS documentary is 56 minutes and 40 seconds.

“Some of the interviews we did wouldn’t fit within the 55-minute (frame),” Carter said. “We have a lot of stuff before the documentary is shown.”

Some of the documentary’s flair also comes from original songs from local sports ballard songwriter Ryan Parker. “The vivid imagery of the words he wrote adds a powerful voice to the story being told,” Carter said.

Carter is still working on interviews with several lined up to take part on Saturday in Central Park. He’s also looking for some help from area residents for some scene shots for the production.

On Sunday, when an adult baseball doubleheader is scheduled in the park, anyone who comes dressed in 1950s attire (blue jeans and white t-shirts would work fine) will be filmed to be part of the production. There will also be about 20 antique cars from late 1940 to 1959 on hand to be part of the scene. The games are at 2 and 5:30 p.m.

Carter still needs some boys to be baseball players to shoot some footage on Sunday, he said. E-mail him at david33957@mac.com if you’re interested.

“I’m extremely excited about the level this has become,” Carter said. “Marty’s participation takes it over the top.”

Brennaman’s voice brings legtimacy and comfort to the project, Sinnette said. “We grew up with him, Marty being the voice of the Reds. I’m looking forward to the finished product.”

MARK MAYNARD can be reached at mmaynard@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2648.