When he was young, Redford didn't love school, so he pursued his interests in art and sports. He had a great talent for baseball and spent his years at Van Nuys High School on the baseball team, where his teammate was future pitching legend, Don Drysdale.

Did Robert Redford play baseball with Don Drysdale?

He's fluid." The Los Angeles Dodger pitching great Don Drysdale once told St. Louis sportswriter Bob Broeg that Redford was a "pretty good ballplayer." Redford referred to Drysdale as his "old teammate." So the story spread that Redford had played high school baseball with Drysdale.

Was Robert Redford a good athlete?

2. Robert Redford earned a baseball scholarship to the University of Colorado. As a boy, Redford had a natural aptitude for anything athletic, and sports were a main focus of his childhood (along with reading, which his parents both encouraged).

Did Robert Redford do his own batting in the natural?

Johnson confirms that Redford did all of his own batting for the film, and made some solid hits. Of course, when the time came for the ball to defy gravity and light up the night sky, it required a stronger launch.

Is Roy Hobbs a real baseball player?

Roy Hobbs, fictional character, the ambitious and talented but flawed baseball player who is the protagonist of The Natural (1952), the first novel by American writer Bernard Malamud. The character was portrayed by Robert Redford in the 1984 film version of the novel.

The Final Homerun - The Natural (8/8) Movie CLIP (1984) HD

Who shot Robert Redford in The Natural?

The 1984 film The Natural sees Robert Redford's Roy Hobbs shot by Harriet Bird, a mysterious woman who targets him. We break down Harriet's reasoning. The Natural had quite the surprising twist that saw Harriet Bird shoot Roy Hobbs before his big tryout with the Chicago Cubs.

Was Tom Mccarthy a baseball player?

Draft: Drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 7th round of the 1979 MLB June Amateur Draft from Plymouth Carver HS (Plymouth, MA).

Did Robert Redford quit acting?

'That's enough': Robert Redford announces his retirement from acting. Robert Redford is calling it a career after nearly 60 years as one of his generation's most iconic actors. Redford, 81, announced to Entertainment Weekly on Monday that his upcoming film, "The Old Man & The Gun," will be his final acting job.

Why was Paramount suing Redford?

Robert Redford originally agreed to play Blue and backed out at the last minute. He was sued by Paramount and afterward refused Roman Polanski's offer to play Guy Woodhouse in Paramount's Rosemary's Baby (1968).

How much land did Robert Redford own?

It is informally named after his 1998 movie, “The Horse Whisperer.” Redford began buying property in Utah in the 1960s. In 1969, he bought the first land that became Sundance Village and Sundance Mountain Resort. Today, he owns about 1,800 acres in the Sundance area.

Who is Robert Redford's best friend?

In the decades that followed Paul Newman and Robert Redford's two films together, it was clear that they forged a lifelong friendship through them. This bond went on to solidify the impact of the two films in each of their careers, serving as a sentimental backdrop amid their real life friendship off-screen.

What are some cool facts about Robert Redford?

Other Facts

Redford had polio as a child. After losing interest in baseball at the University of Colorado, he worked in the California oil fields to earn money before moving to Europe to study painting. Founder of Sundance Village, Sundance Institute, the Sundance Film Festival and the Redford Center.

Did Robert Redford play baseball in high school?

When he was young, Redford didn't love school, so he pursued his interests in art and sports. He had a great talent for baseball and spent his years at Van Nuys High School on the baseball team, where his teammate was future pitching legend, Don Drysdale.

How fast was Don Drysdale fastball?

Only 12 men have had their pitches clocked at better than 90 mph (among them: Don Drysdale, 95.3; Sandy Koufax, 93.2; Herb Score, 91.0), but some of the game's most celebrated fireballers—Walter Johnson, Lefty Grove, Smokey Joe Wood, Dizzy Dean, Dazzy Vance—were never exposed to such devices.

Why didn't Roy Hobbs play baseball?

Roy's quest is to become the greatest baseball player ever. Roy is tempted by a beautiful woman and, by allowing himself to be drawn from his “quest,” he is punished by being injured; disabling him from playing the game he loves.

What parent company owns Paramount?

It was formed in 2019 through the merger of Viacom and CBS and is a subsidiary of National Amusements, Inc. Originally known as ViacomCBS, the company was renamed Paramount Global in 2022.

How many biological children does Robert Redford have?

He and his first wife, Lola Van Wagenen, had four children together: Scott, Shauna, James and Amy Redford. Scott died from sudden infant death syndrome at only 2 months old. Their younger son, James, died of cancer in October 2020.

Who was the guy that played in the NFL and MLB?

Deion Sanders, the only athlete to have played in a World Series and a Super Bowl, spent 17 seasons in the NFL with five different teams and nine years in Major League Baseball with five separate clubs. He played in 641 Major League games and 296 NFL contests in which recording 53 interceptions.

Who was the NFL player who also played baseball?

Deion Sanders (born August 9, 1967, Fort Myers, Florida, U.S.) American gridiron football player, baseball player, and football coach who is the only person to have played in both a Super Bowl and a World Series.

Who was called the hitman in baseball?

Michael Anthony Easler played 14 major-league seasons between 1973 and 1987. A left-handed hitter and right-handed thrower, Easler was nicknamed “The Hit Man” and “Line Drive” for his prowess at the plate.