David Ross memoir, Cubs World Series win being developed as a movie

David Ross is taking his retirement tour and World Series afterglow as far as he can. It’s difficult to blame a guy for taking a victory lap, even if it’s gone longer than even the most diehard fans might tolerate.

Monday night, the former catcher made his debut on Dancing with the Stars, with his Quick Step routine scoring a respectable 7 from each of the four judges for a total 28 out of a possible 40. (Nobody gets a perfect score the first night.) The guess here is that Ross won’t be the first celebrity dancer eliminated. Besides his popularity, a handful of other contestants scored lower.

But even after his stint on the ballroom floor ends, Ross has other projects lined up for his post-playing days. He’ll join ESPN as an analyst for the upcoming MLB season, for instance. According to The Hollywood Reporter, movie production company Radar Pictures is developing a feature film adaptation of Ross’s memoir, Teammate: My Journey in Baseball and a World Series for the Ages. The book will be released on May 9.

https://youtu.be/eSD6NbBQtu0

The movie will be titled Teammate: My Life in Baseball. According to the report by THR’s Gregg Kilday and Mike Barnes, the story will cover the important moments in Ross’s 15-year MLB career, highlighted by his home run in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series. Not only did that help the Chicago Cubs win their first championship since 1908, but Ross became the oldest player (39 years old at the time) to hit a home run in the World Series.

“It was said all during the 2016 season that if you made a movie about the magical run with all its amazing subplots, no one would believe it. Guess what? Believe it!” Ross told THR.

This doesn’t necessarily sound like the most compelling movie, especially if producers are eyeing a theatrical product. Ross was a beloved player who continues to be a popular figure in the early stage of his retirement from baseball. But could a movie be as appealing without Ross in it? Finding someone to play the jovial and highly respected veteran could be a difficult task. And just how far will the production go? Will we see other Cubs depicted on screen? If so, how many?

But if the movie is developed quickly enough for Ross and the Cubs’ victory to still be relatively fresh in our memories, maybe a movie won’t do so badly. At the very least, it should appeal to Cubs fans who might enjoy seeing that World Series run re-enacted on film.

[The Hollywood Reporter]