Tuesday, September 18, 2012

BASEBALL’S ICONIC ‘SHOT HEARD ‘ROUND THE WORLD’ LANDS ON VELOCITY THIS FALL WITH THE DOCUMENTARY MIRACLE BALL



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                  CONTACT: Joanne Schioppi 212-548-5084
September 6, 2012                                                                  joanne_schioppi@discovery.com
                                                                                                
 BASEBALL’S ICONIC ‘SHOT HEARD ‘ROUND THE WORLD’ LANDS ON VELOCITY THIS FALL WITH THE DOCUMENTARY MIRACLE BALL

--The Definitive Documentary on the Fate of Bobby Thomson’s Legendary 1951 Home Run Ball Premieres  Saturday, September 29 at 8PM ET/PT with an Anniversary Encore on Wednesday, October 3 at 6:30PM ET/PT only on VELOCITY

(Silver Spring, Md.) –On October 3rd, 1951 New York Giants third baseman Bobby Thomson hit “The Shot Heard Round the World” - the walk-off home run against Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Ralph Branca clinching the National League pennant and achieving one of the most dramatic moments in baseball and American sports history. But the central artifact of the game - the home run ball - landed in the grandstand and vanished without a trace.  For more than half a century, its fate became a tall tale of baseball lore to historians, collectors and fans alike. This fall, VELOCITY is officially revealing one of sports’ greatest mysteries with the definitive documentary on the subject.  The world television premiere of the award-winning baseball documentary MIRACLE BALL, by director Brian Biegel, will air Saturday, September 29 at 8pm ET/PT with a special encore anniversary presentation on Wednesday, October 3 at 6:30PM ET/PT only on VELOCITY.

MIRACLE BALL, documents one man’s journey to search for sports history’s biggest treasure, on a quest that takes him back through time.  Follow director Biegel on his exploration to differentiate myth from fact and legend from truth. After his father, Jack, finds a baseball at a thrift store with clues dating back to 1951, he believes it could possibly be the most coveted artifact in sports history. Biegel becomes a man with a mission to prove its authenticity. Working with NYPD detectives, scientists, journalists, baseball historians and actual fans present at the game, no stone is left unturned in this ultimate hunt in the quest for the truth.  Implementing forensic science, photographic evidence, and eyewitness accounts, the world will finally learn who walked out of the stadium with the legendary baseball and where it has been hiding for over six decades. 

The search for the Thomson home run ball is the greatest historical conundrum in sports;  but, this documentary is more than a story about baseball, it’s about dreaming the impossible.  It’s a story between father and son and history versus legend.”, said Robert Scanlon, Senior Vice President of Velocity.  “Velocity is the perfect place for MIRACLE BALL because our viewers are extremely knowledgeable – they’re curators and collectors with an acute appreciation of history.”

"Having the opportunity to tell the story of Miracle Ball was truly a life-changing experience both as a filmmaker and as a person. Uncovering all the shocking clues and piecing together the unlikely evidence indeed was a first-hand look into the notion that truth is stranger than fiction," said director and author Brian Biegel. 

MIRACLE BALL is produced for VELOCITY by Odyssey Entertainment.  Brian Biegel is director and executive producer.  Robert Scanlon is Senior Vice President of Velocity and David Lee is Director of Production for Velocity.

About Odyssey Entertainment
Odyssey Entertainment was founded by director/executive producer Brian Biegel, specializes in developing and producing original non-fiction content including feature documentaries, documentary shorts and docu-series. The company's feature documentary "Miracle Ball: The Hunt for the Shot Heard Around the World" won Best Documentary at the 2012 Garden State Film Festival, 2011 Big Apple Film Festival and the 2010 Long Island International Film Festival. Projects in development include a feature documentary starring a Hall of Fame baseball icon, a reality series about a diamond/jewel expert and a treasure-hunting docu-series. For more information please visit www.odysseyentertainment.tv

About Velocity:
Velocity, a division of Discovery Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), is the upscale men’s cable network that provides thrilling HD programming for its viewers.  Velocity programming is diverse, intelligent and engaging, with series and specials representing the best of the automotive, sports and leisure, adventure and travel genres.  Formerly HD Theater, the fully HD network is available in approximately 40 million homes.  For more information on Velocity, please visit Velocity.tv, on Facebook at facebook.com/VelocityTV or on Twitter @VelocityTV1
About Discovery Communications:
Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world’s number one nonfiction media company, reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 180 countries.  Discovery empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Investigation Discovery, Planet Green and HD Theater, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media services, including HowStuffWorks.com.  For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.

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