SPRINGDALE -- There aren't any phone booths at Arvest Ballpark, but somehow 1,025 superheroes got into costume upon arriving to the third annual A League of Their Own reunion ballgame on Sunday. The event signals the conclusion of the Bentonville Film Festival.
Children, families, veterans, celebrities and athletes -- dressed as Spider-Man, Superman, X-Men and others -- gathered on the ballpark lawn Sunday morning in an attempt to break the 2010 Guinness World Record for most people in one location dressed as superheroes. Rubie's Costume Co., a manufacturer and distributor of Halloween costumes, awarded free admission to the game and handed out superhero costumes to the first families to arrive at Arvest.
Jessica Tutt and her 6-year-old son, both of Rogers, wore matching Superman costumes and capes for the occasion and were still sporting them by the end of the game.
"I probably would have changed, but he wanted me to wear my costume with him the whole time," Tutt said as her son played his third round of wiffle ball in the Peekaboo Magazine KidsZone at Arvest. "I love what the Bentonville Film Festival is and what it says" about empowering others.
Sunday's outpouring of superheroes did not break the current worldwide record, which was set by Will Ferrell and Paramount Studios at 1,580 people, but it did set the statewide record.
Tutt's family was one of hundreds that made time for the reunion game, which this year fell on the 25th anniversary of the 1992 film about the formation of an all women's professional baseball league during World War II. Jon Williams, host of the Jon and Deek show on radio station KXNA, and Kyle Kellams, KUAF news director and host of Ozarks at Large, were game announcers. Lourds Lane, the founder of an arts education empowerment curriculum The SuperYou FUNdation, sang the national anthem.
Own," which focused on the annual softball game at the festival using interviews with Davis and others.
Special guests at this year's reunion game included Lori Petty, who was Kit Keller in the movie; Megan Cavanagh, who portrayed Marla Hooch; Tracy Reiner, who played Betty "Spaghetti" Horn; Anne Ramsay, who was Helen Haley; Patti Pelton, who portrayed Marbleann Wilkenson; and Renee Coleman, who played Alice Gasper. Sue Zipay, an All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player who played professionally for the Rockford Peaches in 1953 and 1954, also made an appearance.
Aside from Davis, Megan Cavanagh was the only celebrity guest to have attended last year's event as well as this one.
"It feels great to be back," Cavanagh said from the field. "I'm grateful to the fans for coming out. It's just so beautiful here."
The movie's Rockford Peaches were joined on the red team by Mo McRae, who was Tyler in Sons of Anarchy and currently stars in Fox's Pitch; Razorback Peyton Hillis; and Steven Shyrock of Mars North America. Opposing team Belles -- in blue jerseys -- included Paul Featherstone of Sony, Kevin Pate, Twilla Brooks, Chris Nagelson, Charles Redfield, Andrea Albright and Casey Burger of Wal-Mart.
Hillis said he returned to the reunion game for the second time because "I love what the festival does for the community."
Filmmakers and directors sat enjoying salted pretzels along with other families in the audience. Several sponsors and vendors provided giveaways, such as Starburst inflatable noisemakers and Mars' representatives throwing stuffed M&M plush toys into the crowd.
The entertainment continued on the field, where each break was filled with interviews and contests, like a karaoke performance by a group of young women dressed as Beauty and the Beast's Belle, The Little Mermaid's Ariel, Brave's Merida, Cinderella and other Disney princesses, and a dizzy bat race between a young boy and girl. The audience broke into cheers when the girl won.
Celebrity players made their own fun on the field -- Anne Ramsey did a little dance to celebrate getting to first base, Lori Petty rallied the crowd before hitting and theatrically spun in a circle with her first strike, and Megan Cavanagh rather than landing on home base lay down flat on her back at the green nearby, eliciting laughs on her arrival.
Nagelson of Wal-Mart, Mo McRae and Peyton Hillis all scored home runs, and Kevin Pate of Wal-Mart scored a grand slam. The game ended 20 to 12 in favor of the Rockford Peaches.
NW News on 05/08/2017