WLRN-TV Channel 17’s award-winning documentary chronicling the legacy of the Negro Leagues in South Florida will be screened this month in Miami-Dade and Broward counties for free to the public.
The one-hour documentary Never Drop the Ball takes audiences on an extraordinary journey to show how Black baseball players built a brand of baseball out of segregation into a worldwide pastime. Their unwavering love for the game led them to form leagues of their own.
These leagues showcased incredible teams like the Miami Giants, later known as the Indianapolis Clowns. Their talent captivated audiences with their dynamic playstyle and teamwork in the United States and internationally.
Despite the challenges of the Jim Crow era, Black players’ dedication to baseball and their barnstorming tours left an enduring mark on the sport’s history.
"We really wanted to focus on the South Florida and local aspect of the impact of the Negro Leagues and barnstorming and black baseball in South Florida," said Michael Anderson, who is WLRN's director of TV production, and co-produced the documentary with former WLRN TV production coordinator Fabián Cárdenas.
"As a filmmaker, you have to be curious about the subject that you're choosing to introduce to audiences," Cardenas told WLRN in explaining how he and Michael approached making the documentary. "We were very curious about the Negro League and the connection to South Florida, and the film tells that story."
The documentary film recently won three Suncoast Regional Emmy Awards by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
The first screening will be Thursday, Feb. 13, beginning at 6:30 p.m., at Soundscape Park, 400 17th Street, Miami Beach, 33139. The event is free. Reserve your spot here.
A panel discussion follows the screening. It will feature Dr. Dorothy Fields, historian Abel Sanchez, and WLRN’s Anderson. Moderating the panel will be WLRN’s Florida Roundup Host Tom Hudson. The City of Miami Beach OnStage! Program and Black Affairs Advisory Board is hosting the film screening.
The second screening will be Thursday, Feb. 20, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Nova Southeastern University’s Alvin Sherman Library, 3100 Ray Ferrero, Jr. Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, 33314. It will be on the second floor, Cotilla Gallery. The screening is free but registration is required. Click here to register.
IF YOU GO
What: "Never Drop the Ball" documentary film
When: Thursday, Feb. 13, beginning at 6:30 p.m.,
Where: Soundscape Park, 400 17th Street, Miami Beach, 33139
IF YOU GO
What: "Never Drop the Ball" documentary film
When: Thursday, Feb. 20, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Where: Nova Southeastern University’s Alvin Sherman Library, 3100 Ray Ferrero, Jr. Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, 33314
