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CALLED UP: The Emmett Ashford Story is a one-hour documentary being produced by the filmmaking team of Raymond Bell a two-time Emmy Award-winning producer and Doug Harris an award-winning filmmaker about the untold story of an African American sports pioneer. This important story must be told!!

CALLED UP TELEVISION INTEVIEWS


Fred Claire talks Emmett Ashford after the Yankees/White Sox Field of Dreams game.

Ray Bell talks Emmett Ashford on Fox 11 Extra Innings

Doug Harris talks Emmett Ashford on Fox Sports in the Bay Area

PROMO VIDEOS



SCREENINGS

SOUND BYTES

 

NEWS ARTICLES

‘Everything about him is special’: Trailblazing ump subject of new doc



Twenty years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, Emmett Ashford did the same for umpiring, becoming the first Black umpire in Major League Baseball history when he debuted in 1966. To this day, the charismatic and pioneering Ashford occupies a particular place in baseball history as not only MLB’s first Black umpire but also its first to work an All-Star Game (‘67) and umpire a World Series (‘70).  Read More

Remembering Emmett Ashford, first Black umpire in AL/NL history



Jackie Robinson inspired countless Black athletes to pick up a glove and bat to play baseball — but his impact goes far beyond those who played the game.
Case in point: Emmett Ashford. Read More


What Made Emmett Ashford, Major League Baseball’s First Black Umpire, an American Hero



During his 20-year professional career, his boisterous style endeared him to fans but rankled traditionalists. Read More


 

PHOTO GALLERY

Fred Claire – Former Dodgers GM
Fred Claire
Tommy Hawkins - Former Dodgers Executive, Los Angeles Television Sportscaster, Lakers Player
Tommy Hawkins
Terry Cannon, founder of the Baseball Reliquary
Terry Cannon
Rick Monday – Current Dodgers Broadcaster/Former MLB Player
Rick Monday
David Zirin - Political Sportswriter/Author of 9 books including Sports and Resistance in the United States
Dave Zirin
Brad Pye - Renown African American Sports Journalist/Broadcaster
Brad Pye Jr.

Doug Harris on Fox Sports

Kevin and Ray

Kevin, Bill and Brenda Galloway
Ray and Doug on film shoot
Ray and Doug on film shoot
Doug, Rick Monday – Current Dodgers Broadcaster/Former MLB Player
Doug, Rick Monday

Doug and Ray at Baseball Institute

Advisory Commitee Meeting

Doug Aiken and Bill Galloway
Adrienne Bratton – Emmett’s daughter
Ray at the Smithsonian National African American History and Culture Museum
Branch B. Rickey – Current President of the PCL/Grandson of Branch Rickey
Irv Noren – Former MLB Player and PCL Manager
Tommy Lasorda – Hall of Fame Manager
Maury Wills – Former 7-time All-Star MLB/NL MVP, and PCL Player
Bill Soto Castellanos– Former Ball Boy for the PCL’s San Francisco Seals and the Oakland Oaks/ Author of 16th and Bryant the story of his career as a ball boy
Kerwin Danley – Current Major League Umpire, Named MLB’s first African American Umpire  Crew Chief  in 2020