Summary

  • "The Hill," starring Colin Ford and Dennis Quaid, is a popular sports film on Netflix that tells the inspiring true story of Rickey Hill's journey from a hopeful underdog to a Major League Baseball player.
  • The movie highlights Rickey's battle with a degenerative spine disease, showcasing his determination to overcome obstacles and achieve his dream.
  • The film leaves out an important part of the story: Rickey's championship-winning season with the Grays Harbor Loggers in the Northwest League in 1978, and his struggle to receive his well-deserved championship ring for nearly four decades.

The Hill leaves out a remarkable part of Rickey Hill's true story as a professional baseball player. Directed by Jeff Celentano (Glass Jaw, Breaking Point), The Hill has recently become one of the most popular movies on Netflix in January 2024, starring Colin Ford as Rickey and Dennis Quiad as his father Pastor Hill. The sports film also stars Joelle Carter, Randy Houser, Jesse Berry, Bonnie Bedelia, and Scott Glenn and was released in theaters in the United States in August 2023.

The Hill is one of seven 2023 projects in which Dennis Quaid was involved, setting a career milestone for the celebrated actor. The Hill, based on a screenplay by Angelo Pizzo and Scott Marshall Smith, follows the incredible true story of Rickey Hill's unlikely rise from a hopeful underdog in Texas with a love for baseball to becoming a Major League Baseball player. Rickey is challenged by a degenerative spine disease throughout the film that affects his chances of following his dream, but against all odds Rickey overcomes his greatest obstacles.

Dennis Quaid as Pastor Hill and Scott Glenn as Red Murff in The Hill.
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Rickey Hill Was Given His Championship Ring From The Grays Harbor Loggers 37 Years After Winning The Northwest League

One of the best parts of Rickey Hill's true story was left out of The Hill altogether. The last team that Rickey Hill played for was the A-Level Grays Harbor Loggers in the Northwest League out of Washington State. In 1978, the Loggers became the champions of the Northwest League but according to Fox Sports, Rickey never got his well-deserved championship ring. What's even more surprising is that Rickey led the team in home runs during their championship season.

1978 would be the only year that the Loggers would win the championship title in the Northwest League. Rickey waited nearly four decades until he told anyone that he had yet to get his championship ring, which perplexed the team personnel who were in charge of distributing them all those years ago. Not a single member of the 1978 Loggers stuck around for the next season, which could have contributed to the unbelievable delay in Rickey finally getting his ring.

TheHill-DennisQuaid-PastorHill
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Why Rickey Hill Retired From Baseball After His 1978 Season With The Loggers

Colin Ford as Rickey Hill and Siena Bjornerud as Gracie Shanz in The Hill.

Rickey Hill's ring was apparently purchased by another person close to the organization who was a big fan of the Loggers. Hill's baseball career ended after the 1978 season with the Loggers due to the overwhelming strain the sport was putting on his body, particularly his spine. Once known to have one of the best swings in baseball, Hill's story has become one of inspiration, courage, and hope in the face of tragedy and intense adversity as depicted in The Hill.

Source: Fox Sports