“Mission: Classic” documentary available for viewing on YouTube

After a successful premiere in Milan on November 8th at the Sport Movies & TV Festival, Mission: Classic chronicles the Italian national team at the 2023 World Baseball Classic in Taiwan and Japan and is now available to all fans on the Italian American Baseball Foundation YouTube Channel.

Mission: Classic was produced by the Italian American Baseball Foundation (IABF) in association with Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball (FIBS). Director and producer Chris Vaccaro, winner of two Emmy Awards, was assisted by executive producer, director of photography and editor Riccardo Landi.

The documentary retraces the weeks that start from initial meeting last year in Italy for the first 13 MLB-affiliated players who made up manager Mike Piazza's roster up to the quarterfinal against Japan on March 16, 2023. Team Italy earned a historic first-ever fifth place finish in the World Baseball Classic.  

The camera lens accompanies the players as they entered the meeting rooms, the locker rooms, the buses and diamonds while collecting images, words, emotions of an unforgettable behind-the-scenes adventure with actual live game footage courtesy of MLB.

Forza #Italia!

by Roberto Angotti

(Photo of Matteo Gandini, Marco Landi, Michele Gerali and FICTS President Franco Ascani during the world premiere of "Mission: Classic" in Milan)