Most of press coverage of a new ABC baseball comedy pilot is centered on Felicity Huffman’s return to TV after prison, but the more interesting fact is that the pilot will be based on the experiences of Susan Savage, Sacramento River Cats CEO.
Huffman, of course, spent time in federal prison after pleading guilty as part of the national college admissions cheating scandal that also ensnared the likes of Lori Laughlin. Her return to the screen–even in the form of an ABC pilot that may or not get picked up–is certainly newsworthy.
That pilot, however, is newsworthy for us because it’s inspired by the life of Savage and how she dealt with loss and a career after the death of her husband, Art Savage, in 2009. Savage took over as CEO of the River Cats when her late husband, Art Savage, passed away and asked her not to sell the team. According to a River Cats press release, the pilot will be written by Becky Hartman Edwards, with filming set to begin in the spring:
Susan runs the team with her two sons, Jeff and Brent. The story will highlight overcoming loss and grief, family dynamics at work, and the humor, fun, and surprises that go along with minor league baseball.
“There is still a long way to go,” reminds Savage, “but it is truly exciting to be at this point. Over the years, whether in an executive meeting or simply talking with one of our longtime fans, something uniquely funny would happen and we would always say that someone should put it in a TV show. Well, I decided to start writing it down and here we are.”
“When Art passed away, there were a lot of questions and I didn’t have the answers,” Susan continued. “However, this team was his dream so I jumped right in alongside my boys (Jeff and Brent) and we were going to figure this out one way or another. I am so proud of what we have been able to accomplish as a family, but along the way there are plenty of goofs and gaffs that we can laugh at now. Add that to our favorite fans, cheeky players, and quirky promotions, and I’m sure there is something everyone can laugh at and relate to.”
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