Author: Jon Leonoudakis

Hail and farewell to Arnold Hano, one of the most prolific writers of the 20th century, as well as the pen behind one of baseball’s most iconic books, “A Day in the Bleachers.

Jon and Arnold spent two years making the film and another year touring it around the country, culminating in a special screening at the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, where it resides with Arnold’s baseball papers. During that time, a great friendship bloomed between two southpaws passionate about baseball and baseball history.

In October of 2010, Jon was making his breakout documentary, “Not Exactly Cooperstown,” about the Baseball Reliquary. Among the many luminaries interviewed, former Major League slugger Greg Goossen stood out for his candor, wit, and top-shelf storytelling chops.

Sadly, four months later, Greg passed away. Jon finished the film, which included a snippet from that 40-minute interview with Greg. Nearly ten years later, Jon re-discovered the interview with “Goose,” and it was pure gold. Working closely with the Goossen family, Jon produced an affectionate portrait of one of the greatest characters in baseball history.

During the pandemic, Jon created a number of new baseball films, chief among them “108 Stitches.”

The 13-minute documentary short features people from across the baseball spectrum: fans, photographers, scorekeepers, Little Leaguers, former big leaguers, coaches, women who played in the All-American’s Girls Baseball League, and more.

These interviews segments were shot for Jon’s “Sweet Spot” series, and uses his signature question at the end of every interview he conducts about baseball when he puts a new ball in their hands and asks, “when you hold that ball in your had, what does your heart and soul say?”

Their answers will surprise you!

Saltbox TV is the first-ever streaming service dedicated to connecting older adults with diverse, informative, and engaging programming. The new service is in over 4,000 senior communities across America, and they have added three of Jon’s films to their selections: “Hano! A Century in the Bleachers,” “The Adventures of Superfan!”, and “108 Stitches.”

Three films from Jon’s streaming series, “The Sweet Spot,” will be screened at the 14th annual Baseball Film festival at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown on Saturday, September 21: “Remembering Ernie Banks,” “The Lady is an Ump,” and “Bat Boy: My First Day as a Yankee.”