A World Series of Hurt in ‘The Last Pitch’

Fathers and sons playing baseball--the very thought conjures up images of Norman Rockwell wholesomeness. Yet in G. Bruce Smith’s new drama “The Last Pitch” at the American Renegade Theatre, the sunlit ballpark becomes a metaphorical battleground for dark, deep-seated generational conflict.

In a premise with innate appeal for any baseball fan, Smith’s play is set in 1956, at the peak of the legendary cross-town rivalry between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Yankees. Increasing each team’s roster by one, Smith inserts a fictional personal rivalry between the Dodgers’ red-hot 21-year-old slugger, Jack O’Grady Jr. (Brandon Klock), and his father, Jack O’Grady Sr. (Randy Ross), a 46-year-old Yankee relief pitcher.

Their story is one of complete estrangement, emphasizing polarization at the expense of middle ground. In flashbacks, we relive scenes of the father’s inability to express feelings, especially after the death of his young daughter. “Part of me didn’t work right,” is about all the laconic elder O’Grady can muster by way of explanation.

His emotional malfunction has terrible consequences for both his son and mentally fragile wife (Laura Richeardson)--and the whole soap opera culminates in a dramatic World Series face-off between the veteran pitcher at the end of his career and the rookie son who hasn’t spoken to him for years.

Smith’s setup is a clever spin on the inherent psychological duel between pitchers and batters. However, blurring fictional characters with historical facts (including specific names and events from the 1956 World Series) is needlessly distracting, and even disturbing at times. A wholly fictional story could have served equally well.

To smooth over rough spots and to add narrative authenticity, Smith casts the play as the reminiscences of a troubled young New York Times sports reporter (Jeff Le Beau) who’s caught in his own bit of generational rivalry with a grizzled veteran (Ronald Hunter) from a competing paper.

“You wouldn’t believe it if you saw it in a movie” goes the old cliche about improbably dramatic baseball events; unfortunately, this one isn’t any more believable on the stage. Heartfelt staging by Tom Seidman and capable performances notwithstanding, the schmaltzy excesses here cry out for umpire intervention.

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* “The Last Pitch,” American Renegade Theatre, 11136 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood. Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 3 p.m. Ends July 15. $15. (818) 763-1834. Running time: 2 hours.