For those in the San Diego area, and those attending
the WBC games this weekend. I'm interviewing the
writer for the next issue of LA PRENSA DEL BEISBOL
LATINO:



REPUBLIC OF BASEBALL PREMIERES AT SAN DIEGO FESTIVAL
MAR. 19

Ground-breaking documentary profiles Dominican
Baseball Greats Juan Marichal, Felipe Alou, Manny Mota
Marichal, Jesus Alou, Ozzie Virgil to attend;
coincides with World Baseball Classic


SAN DIEGO, CA – SAN DIEGO, CA – The first-ever
documentary film about the history of baseball in the
Dominican Republic will premiere Sunday, March 19th at
the San Diego Latino Film Festival.

The premiere will occur on the off-day between the
semi-final games of the World Baseball Classic on
March 18th and the championship on the 20th.

The film, The Republic of Baseball: The Dominican
Giants of the American Game, profiles the personal
histories and professional careers of the first great
Dominican stars of Major League Baseball, including
Hall of Fame pitcher Juan Marichal, the winningest
pitcher of the 1960s; Felipe Alou, the first Dominican
Major League star and now Manager of the San Francisco
Giants; and Manny Mota, the L.A. Dodgers legendary
player and coach.

The film also includes interviews with today’s
Dominican star players, including Pedro Martinez,
Vladimir Guerrero, Alex Rodriguez, Alfonso Soriano,
and Miguel Tejada, several of whom are competing in
the World Baseball Classic.

More than a sports biography, The Republic of Baseball
tells the tale of the forgotten Dominican stars of the
American Negro Leagues, and how Alou, Marichal and
Mota overcame dictatorship, poverty, and racism to
blaze the trail for today’s Dominican baseball stars.

Republic is also a portrait, through intimate
interviews and beautiful location photography
reminiscent of the film Buena Vista Social Club, of
the Dominican Republic and its people.

Attending the San Diego premiere will be Juan Marichal
and Jesus Alou, brother of Felipe and teammate to
Juan, as well as film producers Daniel Manatt, Rob
Ruck, Bret Granato, and Geoffrey Kirkman.

The premiere will be dedicated to special guest Ozzie
Virgil, who is celebrating the 50th anniversary of his
debut in Major League Baseball as the very first
Dominican ever to play in the big leagues. Virgil
debuted in September 1956 with the New York Giants.
He later became a coach with the San Diego Padres.

The Republic of Baseball is a production of The Sports
for Development Foundation and Manatt Media LLC. The
San Diego Latino Film Festival is a production of the
MEDIA ARTS Center San Diego. This event is not
affiliated with the World Baseball Classic tournament.


Sunday’s screening will be held at the UltraStar
Mission Valley Cinemas at Hazard Center is located at
7510 Hazard Center Drive Suite 100 off Friars Road in
Mission at 6:00pm. Media and VIP attendees may obtain
tickets by contacting Adriana Urena at 858-414-4258 or
assistant producer Nikole Burroughs at 202 413 1179.

-30-


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