In fact, that division grew so competitive that league commissioner Carlos Martinez made it part of his mission to shift the emphasis back on the social aspect of the league when he was elected last year.
“Teams have been around for years and years and they got very competitive,” said Martinez, the head electrician for “All Shook Up.” “People weren’t having as much of a good time and I wanted to make it fun again.”
Today, the camaraderie and revelry of the league are so legendary that, often, Hollywood celebrities come out and play when they are in town for stints on Broadway. Tony Danza, Tim Robbins, Rosie O’Donnell and Meatloaf are just a handful of celebrities that have come through the league over the years. In turn, these celebrities have become part of league lore.
“If you go to college to become an engineer or lawyer, you have a job. But in show business you’re always looking
for the next job. Your life is always unstable, but this league is stable.”
—Kim Travis |
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As the story goes, George C. Scott, who turned down an Oscar nomination in 1961 for best supporting actor opposite Paul Newman in “The Hustler,” was rumored to have said the only award he cared about was the MVP of the Broadway Show League – which he eventually won.
Norm Nixon had just signed a multimillion-dollar contract with the L.A. Lakers when he came out to play in a game with wife Debbie Allen of television directing fame. |
While playing in the outfield, he was running after a ball and hit a divot in field, seriously injuring his ankle.
Speaking of injuries, it is said that producer Hal Prince threatened to shut down the league when the original star Sweeney Todd busted his chin wide open at a collision at first base and almost missed the opening night performance.
“There have been so many stories through the years,” Travis said. “You’re playing ball with other people who are in the business and that’s what is so cool about it. The producers are playing with the actors and the actors are playing with the stage hands.”
Travis joined the league in 1984, when playing two girls on the field at all times became a requirement. At the time, she was studying theater at NYU and was dating a stage hand who played in the league. After graduating, she found the league a source of comfort as she struggled to break into Broadway.
“Show business is different from any other endeavor,” Travis said. “If you go to college to become an engineer or lawyer, you have a job. But in show business you’re always looking for the next job. Your life is always unstable, but this league is stable.”
Travis’s show biz life has taken another turn, but at least this one is bringing her closer to the field. She is moving from Austin to Amenia, New York and, although the two-hour drive to Central Park may seem like a long way to go, for Travis that commute is a walk in the park. |
