I had done headshots months earlier, but hadn't set out for any acting work yet. Then I got an email to my baseball league looking for 18 to 35 year olds of professional baseball caliber for The Bronx is Burning miniseries for ESPN.

At 48 I knew I was a longshot, but attended the open call with an open mind and a great knuckleball. When the director greeted me with "Glad you could make it sir, how's it going today coach?" I knew I was in trouble. He was a little dismissive, asking about if I could throw strikes, and saying maybe I could play a batting practice pitcher or something, but I told him I was one of the greatest pitchers alive with a bitchin' knuckleball and thrust an action photo at him. The baseball consultant liked the photo, told the director I could pitch and then suggested Charlie Hough, the knuckleballer who tossed Reggie Jackson his record breaking homerun in the world series. Cool! I got a tryout for the following day and so it was.

Great time!  A week of filming at the stadium with other ball players and actors. And my first audition and gig!

Other information on The Bronx is Burning is on www.dandelventhal.com