Robert Redford, one of the most revered figures in the history of American cinema, has died at age 89.
Born Charles Robert Redford Jr. in 1936, Redford made his mark as a leading man and later as a director, earning an Academy Award for directing the 1980 film "Ordinary People." He also championed environmental causes, and created a platform for independent filmmaking through his founding of the Sundance Film Festival. And, of course, there was his lasting connection to the game of baseball, from his early days as a collegiate prospect to his unforgettable portrayal of Roy Hobbs in “The Natural.”
The 1984 film, which was based on Bernard Malamud's 1952 novel of the same name, tells the story of a gifted but enigmatic ballplayer whose promising career is derailed by a shooting early in his life. Years later, Hobbs gets a second chance when he’s signed by the fictional New York Knights, a downtrodden club headed for a last-place finish.
Overcoming numerous obstacles, including a life-threatening injury stemming from his violent encounter years prior, Hobbs helps to turn the Knights around. In the film’s climactic scene, Hobbs steps to the plate in the final inning of a one-game playoff -- his wound bleeding through his jersey -- and drives a blast to deep right field for a game-winning home run that shatters the stadium lights and sends the crowd into a frenzy.
Redford was able to draw from his own experience for the role -- a ballplayer in his youth, he played on the same high school team as future Hall of Famer Don Drysdale and received a baseball scholarship to the University of Colorado, which he eventually lost due to excessive partying before pursuing a career in the arts. A longtime Red Sox fan, Redford also took inspiration from Ted Williams, modeling Hobbs’ swing after that of the "Splendid Splinter” and wearing No. 9 as a nod to Williams. (Hobbs wore No. 45 in the novel.)
Redford spent nearly a decade developing Malamud’s novel for the big screen, facing pushback from studio executives who thought that baseball movies lacked commercial appeal. He eventually was able to get it made, with one big change: the ending. In the book, Hobbs strikes out in his big moment. Redford’s insistence on a more uplifting conclusion -- another homage to Williams, who also homered in his final career at-bat -- helped transform "The Natural" into the mythic tale that endures today and ensured that Redford would be forever linked to America’s pastime.