Focus On Film: The Swingman Classic
With baseball season right around the corner, this week, we focus on a film which highlighted Black joy and baseball in the Emerald City. The first ever HBCU Swingman Classic came to T-Mobile Park as part of MLB All-Star Weekend, featuring the best HBCU ballplayers from around the country competing in an exhibition game. Hosted by Ken Griffey Jr., it was a night to remember. Our crew was there to document the evening and community celebration that it brought.
It was a historic day in the Emerald City as the first-ever Swingman Classic took over T-Mobile park on Friday and brought Seattle’s Black community to the stadium for a celebration of Black joy, baseball, and HBCUs. The game brought 50 of the best HBCU baseball players from around the country to Seattle to showcase their talents, while an HBCU college fair took place in the concourse.
“There’s such long lineage of great Black ball players. You really don’t wanna see the Black ball player disappear from MLB.”
A large section of the games audience was young people from across the community, as their horizons were expanded through the showcase of both the athletic and educational opportunities available to them around the country.
“It’s important for Black youth to see the opportunities available, to know that there a place for them in college and in baseball.”
The impact of the night was evident all game long, as the joy and sense of belonging was clear on the faces of those who attended.
Our crew was on the field prior to the game to speak with players and coaches, as well as surveying the stands during the action to capture the joy and excitement baseball can bring. There was also an HBCU college fair featuring representatives from universities from around the country as they showcased their programs to prospective students.
The event was so impactful that a second piece was produced, releasing on our platforms the morning after the game. About Last Night takes a cinematic approach to the evening, uplifting the pure elation experienced by those in attendance.
The two films are a testament to the work done by our crew, which featured Omari Salisbury, Francisco Lopez, Winfield Ezell, Trey Ezell, Ike Everard, Che’Lon McClennan, Curtis Delgardo II, Susan Fried and Besa Gordon. The team worked hard to capture the night from all perspectives, interviewing fans, college reps, players and coaches.
Make sure to watch the films above for a look at one of MLB’s crowning events of the year.
