Past Talks & More | Film/Video | Classics

Craig Calcaterra in Conversation with David Filipi

Rethinking Fandom: How to Beat the Sports-Industrial Complex at Its Own Game

Preceded by Rare Baseball Films Warm-Up (1917–20)

Book Signing

On the left is a black-and-white photograph of Chicago White Sox manager Kid Gleason (left) shaking hands with Cincinnati Reds manager Pat Moran (right) on the field before the start of the 1919 World Series. In the center is the book cover of Craig Calcaterra's Rethinking Fandom; the title is in orange font in between a broken blue foam finger. On the right is a black-and-white photograph of Reds pitcher Fred Toney (left) and Chicago Cubs manager Fred Mitchell (right) on the field of their 1917 game.
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Apr 07, 2022 7:00 PM
Film/Video Theater

$7 members and seniors
$9 general public
$5 students

Click here to view our latest COVID-19 protocols.

FREE GALLERY ADMISSION
Don’t forget: gallery admission is free with a ticket to any same-day Wexner Center event. Simply show your ticket at our Visitor Experience Desk.

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. If you have questions about accessibility or require an accommodation such as CART captioning or ASL interpretation to participate in this event, please contact Accessibility Manager Helyn Marshall at accessibility@wexarts.org or via telephone at (614) 688-3890. Requests made by two weeks in advance will generally allow us to provide seamless access, but the Wexner Center for the Arts will make every effort to meet requests made after this date.

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New Albany–based sportswriter Craig Calcaterra discusses his new book Rethinking Fandom with Director of Film/Video David Filipi, following a screening of rare baseball found footage!

Rethinking Fandom radically reexamines being a sports fan in the 21st century. In a time when owners and executives depend too much on the loyalty of their fans and too often act against the team’s best interest, Calcaterra—best known for his widely read newsletter Cup of Coffee and politics column in Columbus Alive—argues that fans have more power than they realize to change their team's behavior.

Screening before the talk is Rare Baseball Films Warm-Up, a collection of silent-era shorts featuring baseball luminaries Christy Mathewson, Jim Thorpe, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and the barnstorming team the House of David. The footage showcases the Cleveland [Guardians] in the 1920 World Series; the Cincinnati Reds in the infamous 1919 Black Sox World Series; and a clip featuring May Irwin, star of Edison Studio’s 1896 film The Kiss.

Filmmaker Bill Morrison chronicles the accidental discovery of this rare footage in his 2016 documentary Dawson City: Frozen Time. The collection is presented courtesy of the Library and Archives Canada. (20:04 mins., digital video)

This event is approximately 90 minutes, followed by a book signing in the Wexner Center Lower Lobby! 

Rare Baseball Films Warm-Up (1917–20) program lineup

Compiled by Bill Morrison

Army vs. Navy Red Cross Charity Game (1917)

Actor’s Charity Game (1917) (raised money to provide tobacco to soldiers overseas; featuring Flora Zabelle)

Reds vs. Cubs (May 1917) (featuring Christy Mathewson)

Giants vs. Dodgers (August 1917)

N.Y. Giants 1917 NL Pennant Winners (featuring John McGraw, Heinie Zimmerman, and Jim Thorpe)

1917 World Series Giants vs. White Sox (featuring Eddie Cicotte, Joe Jackson, and John McGraw)

May Irwin’s Farm, Irwin Island NY (1918) (featuring vaudeville star May Irwin from Edison Studio’s 1896 film The Kiss)

1919 World Series White Sox vs. Reds (first game in Cincinnati, third game in Chicago; includes Reds’ five-run 4th inning)

Amateur Sports in Montreal (1920)

House of David (1920) (featuring Paul Leslie Mooney)

1920 World Series Brooklyn “Robins” vs. Cleveland [Guardians] (second and third games in Brooklyn; featuring Burleigh Grimes)

Black-and-white photograph of Cubs pitcher Hippo Vaughan, Reds pitcher Fred Toney, Cubs manager Fred Mitchell, and Reds manager Christy Mathewson (from left to right) on the field of their 1917 doubleheader.

From left to right: Hippo Vaughan, Fred Toney, Fred Mitchell, and Christy Mathewson, image courtesy of Library and Archives Canada.

Photo portrait of the author Craig Calcaterra in front of a brick wall; he is wearing a black button-down shirt and glasses.

Craig Calcaterra, photo: Allison Calcaterra.

Black-and-white photograph of Chicago White Sox player Shoeless Joe Jackson catching a baseball in his glove, the field and stadium in the background, in 1917.

Joe Jackson, image courtesy of Library and Archives Canada.

Black-and-white photograph of the Cincinnati Reds players sitting on the bench before the first game of the 1919 World Series. One of the players is standing in front of the bench holding a glove; a crowd is sitting and standing in the seats above.

Cincinnati Reds, image courtesy of Library and Archives Canada.

Black-and-white photograph of New York Giants player Jim Thorpe holding a baseball bat, blurry with motion, on the field in 1917.

Jim Thorpe, image courtesy of Library and Archives Canada.

Black-and-white photograph of Chicago White Sox manager Kid Gleason (left) shaking hands with Cincinnati Reds manager Pat Moran (right) on the field before the start of the 1919 World Series.

Kid Gleason (left) and Pat Moran (right), image courtesy of Library and Archives Canada. 

Book cover of Craig Calcaterra's Rethinking Fandom; the title is in orange font in between a broken, blue foam finger.

Rethinking Fandom, image courtesy of Belt Publishing.

About the author

Craig Calcaterra chevron-down chevron-up

Craig Calcaterra is the writer and editor of the daily baseball, news, and culture newsletter Cup of Coffee. Previously, as the lead national baseball writer for NBC Sports, he launched and edited the baseball blog HardballTalk. Calcaterra also writes a regular column on local politics for Columbus Alive. Read more

Tag(s)

Presented courtesy of the Library and Archives Canada.

FILM/VIDEO PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY
Cardinal Health
Kaufman Development

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY
Rohauer Collection Foundation

WEXNER CENTER PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY
The Wexner Family
Greater Columbus Arts Council
The Columbus Foundation
Ohio Arts Council
American Electric Power Foundation
L Brands Foundation
Adam Flatto
Mary and C. Robert Kidder
Bill and Sheila Lambert
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Nationwide Foundation
Vorys, Sater, Seymour, and Pease

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY
Michael and Paige Crane
Pete Scantland
Axium Packaging
CampusParc
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
President Kristina M. Johnson and Mrs. Veronica Meinhard
Nancy Kramer
Huntington
Lisa Barton
Johanna DeStefano
Russell and Joyce Gertmenian
Liza Kessler and Greg Henchel
Ron and Ann Pizzuti
Joyce and Chuck Shenk
Bruce and Joy Soll
Clark and Sandra Swanson
Jones Day

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Past Talks & More

Craig Calcaterra in Conversation with David Filipi

Apr 07, 2022 7:00 PM EST
Film/Video Theater

$7 members and seniors
$9 general public
$5 students

Click here to view our latest COVID-19 protocols.

FREE GALLERY ADMISSION
Don’t forget: gallery admission is free with a ticket to any same-day Wexner Center event. Simply show your ticket at our Visitor Experience Desk.

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. If you have questions about accessibility or require an accommodation such as CART captioning or ASL interpretation to participate in this event, please contact Accessibility Manager Helyn Marshall at accessibility@wexarts.org or via telephone at (614) 688-3890. Requests made by two weeks in advance will generally allow us to provide seamless access, but the Wexner Center for the Arts will make every effort to meet requests made after this date.

Become a Member