ESPN's 'Deerfoot of the Diamond' features Alliance vintage baseball club

ALLIANCE − Brent Barnes and his mates can't wait to see ESPN Films latest "30 for 30" documentary. That's because they're in it.

"We're having a watch party, he said.

"Deerfoot on the Diamond," directed by Lance Edmands, debuts 8 p.m. Tuesday on ESPN. It explores the history of Cleveland baseball and name changes.

Specifically, the short film examines the life and legacy of Louis Sockalexis who played three seasons in the 1890s in the National League for the then-Cleveland Spiders.

Sockalexis, who died in 1913, was the first Native American to play professional baseball. He was a member of the Penobscot tribute from Old Town, Maine.

Edmands, a 41-year-old Maine native, said Sockalexis was a "great player" for a short time, describing him as professional baseball's first minority − 50 years before Jackie Robinson.

“To me, the little-known story of Louis Sockalexis is as fascinating as it is timely,” the filmmaker said.

His name inspired the team's Indians team name from 1915 to 2021.

Perfect time to tell his story

Cleveland changed its name from the Indians to the Guardians this season.

Edmands made the film so Sockalexis wouldn't be a "quirky historical footnote, or worse yet, entirely forgotten," in both team and baseball history.

"It was a perfect time to tell his story," Edmands said.

The Guardians won the American League's Central Division on Sunday.

"I think the Guardians is a great name, and I don't see there is any material difference to be a fan of the team," Edmands said. "I was rooting for them all season."

Bringing the story to life

Filmmakers brought the story to life in August 2021 at Pipe Yard in Lorain, where action scenes featuring two teams playing 1890s baseball were shot.

That's where Barnes and his mates come into the story.

Two Northeast Ohio vintage baseball clubs − the Cleveland Blues and the Alliance Crossing Rails − were used in the documentary to recreate late 19th century baseball games.

The teams play in 1800s uniforms and follow late 19th century baseball rules. Edmands said both teams already had the look and the equipment to "visually represent" the Sockalexis era.

"They were perfect stand-ins," Edmands said.

Barnes, a captain of the Alliance team, said the Crossing Rails got involved in the film because of their close friendship with the Blues. Edmands called the Blues, first, who invited the Rails.

"They had us doing everything − hitting, running and stealing bases," said Barnes, by day a 42-year-old attorney. He founded the Alliance team in 2007 and they play 20 to 24 games a season.

His brother, Mark Pisanello, 29, a former college pitcher, pitched for the opposition in the documentary.

"They did two hours of him doing different pitches," Barnes said.

Overall, Barnes said they spent about nine hours filming the action scenes, and were honored to be part of the short film. He said he's interested to see how the content was edited.

Barnes said they cringed at some aspects of their part. He said Sockalexis dealt with racism back then, and Barnes and his teammates had to re-enact it.

"I know it was acting, but ...," Barnes said. "It was uncomfortable."

For Edmands, he hopes the Guardians' success will draw more attention to Sockalexis' story. "He was a great player. But he was only great for a short period for time before it all fell apart," he said.

The film will be made available on ESPN+ immediately after its debut.

Reach Benjamin Duer at 330-580-8567 or ben.duer@cantonrep.com. Follow on Twitter @bduerREP.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: ESPN Films' Sockalexis documentary to include Alliance vintage baseball team