Local Dirt Dandies team featured with Bill Murray

Bill Murray, right, visited with the local Dirt Dandies team during a visit to the Kansas City area. The local team is included in a documentary that is now showing on Facebook. (Photo courtesy of Kansas RBI)

The Dirt Dandies are featured in a documentary currently on Facebook. (Photo courtesy of Kansas RBI)

by Mary Rupert

It was like a dream come true for young athletes here who met with movie star Bill Murray and were featured in a documentary, “Extra Innings.”

Cle Ross, Kansas RBI executive director, said the Murray Brothers, Brian and Bill Murray, came to the Kansas City area to do a series, which is now running on Facebook.

They contacted the Kansas City Royals, looking for a team in the area to feature, and the Royals recommended the Dirt Dandies from Kansas RBI.

The series, about 10 episodes in all, visited several cities, with Kansas City as the final stop, Ross said.

“We were featured in last Monday’s episode,” Ross said. Also, the team will be in the last episode, as well.

The last episode will include a visit by Bill Murray, who owns the St. Paul Saints, at a Kansas City T-Bones game, Ross said.

The Murrays invited the entire youth team to the game, including a meal for the kids and coaches, to watch the St. Paul Saints play the T-Bones.

“Our kids got to go on the field, and were on the Jumbotron,” Ross said. “Bill Murray came and sat with the boys during the game.”

Ross said the Royals had been aware of the Kansas RBI’s success, with the Dirt Dandies ranked as one of the top teams in the nation.

“It was a reward to our kids to be part of something special, especially when they worked so hard,” Ross said.

Ross said the documentary was a mixture of educational points as well as comedy.

“That was the cool part, that the kids had a chance to learn as well as to have fun,” Ross said.

To see more about Bill Murray and the local team, visit https://www.facebook.com/billbrianextrainnings/videos/1570512526331894/.