A sports documentary nominated for a 2026 Sports Emmy Award on a Hall of Fame baseball player had help from LeBron James and an attorney from Pinedale, Wyoming.
“Clemente,” a film that debuted in September on the History Channel as well as in theaters, chronicles the life and legacy of Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star Roberto Clemente.
He was much more than one of the most accomplished baseball players of all time, ending his stellar career with 3,000 hits, .317 lifetime batting average, 12 straight Gold Glove Awards and a 15-time All-Star.
Off the field, he was a champion for the downtrodden, holding clinics for children and fighting racial injustice in 1960s America.
He died tragically in a 1972 plane crash while on his way to help Nicaraguan survivors of an earthquake.
John Scanlon, a former Washington, D.C.-based attorney who moved to Pinedale to join his family’s business, was a producer on the 1-hour, 41-minute project.
“There are a lot of films out there, a lot of sports documentaries,” he said. "I think for us, obviously, this nomination is huge.
"I think the thing that speaks to everybody of any generation is that (Clemente) was so much more than his career in baseball.”
The film is competing in the Outstanding Long Sports Documentary category.
Scanlon is no stranger to the film industry, having helped produce the 2024 theatrical movie “Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.” He was invited by David Altrogee, the documentary’s director and writer, to become part of the project.
After meeting Pittsburgh-based Altrogee years ago and doing some work for him, Scanlon and the filmmaker “hit it off,” he said.
“I think he is incredibly talented and he’s young, and has, I think, a terrific career ahead of him,” Scanlon said. “He called me about this project and said, ‘Hey, look, I could really use assistance from someone with producing experience, and frankly, I could use your legal skills. Would you be my producer?'”
Scanlon jumped on board and became the first producer for the project, helping raise money, form a production company, get legal agreements in place, as well as assist with some of the creative side as the film was being cut.
Hall of Fame right fielder Roberto Clemente was among the best pro baseball players of all time, with 3,000 hits and a lifetime .317 batting average. A Pinedale man helped produce the new documentary “Clemente,” which has been nominated for an Emmy. (Getty Images) 
Hall of Fame right fielder Roberto Clemente was among the best pro baseball players of all time, with 3,000 hits and a lifetime .317 batting average. A Pinedale man helped produce the new documentary “Clemente,” which has been nominated for an Emmy. (Getty Images) 
Hall of Fame right fielder Roberto Clemente was among the best pro baseball players of all time, with 3,000 hits and a lifetime .317 batting average. A Pinedale man helped produce the new documentary “Clemente,” which has been nominated for an Emmy. (Getty Images) 
Hall of Fame right fielder Roberto Clemente was among the best pro baseball players of all time, with 3,000 hits and a lifetime .317 batting average. A Pinedale man helped produce the new documentary “Clemente,” which has been nominated for an Emmy. (Getty Images) 
Robert Clemente, center, with other members of the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was part of two World Series championships. (Courtesy ‘Clemente’/History Channel) 
Roberto Clemente worked hard to give back to the Pittsburgh community as well as his native Puerto Rico and others. (Courtesy ‘Clemente’/History Channel) 
Roberto Clemente worked hard to give back to the Pittsburgh community as well as his native Puerto Rico and others. (Courtesy ‘Clemente’/History Channel) 
Roberto Clemente was a National League All-Star, MVP winner, and received several Golden Glove awards. (Courtesy ‘Clemente’/History Channel)
LeBron James Involvement
LeBron James, who has an executive producer role with the film, came on board after Altrogee brought the The Clemente Museum Chairman Robert Meeder into the project, and they reached out to Major League Baseball and others to participate.
A friend of the project in Los Angeles reached out to James’ business team and asked if he would consider joining the effort.
“He immediately said, ‘Yes,’” Scanlon said.
Scanlon believes “Clemente” resonates with viewers because he was not only a star athlete, but also a civil rights pioneer and humanitarian.
He died when the DC-7 plane he chartered, loaded with supplies for Nicaraguan earthquake victims, crashed on Dec. 31, 1972.
There are many stories about the 18-year Major Leaguer’s character and generosity.
His dozen Gold Glove Awards, two World Series championships, and National League MVP honors were parlayed into helping his native Puerto Rico and other causes.
A story about Clemente included in the film involves him driving by a dad and his son as they played catch down the road from Pittsburgh Pirates stadium, Scanlon said.
“Roberto Clemente drove by and pulled over and just got out and started playing with him, giving the kid tips, and they invited him in for dinner,” he said. “And after that, he regularly visited (the kid’s) home. These were just strangers.”
Also featured are three of Clemente’s sons, sportscaster Bob Costas, actors Rita Moreno and Michael Keaton, and others.
It includes archival footage of Clemente both on the field and in his role as humanitarian and role model for the Hispanic players who would follow him.
‘The Great One’
Clemente, nicknamed “The Great One,” was posthumously voted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.
Along with his lifetime batting average of .317 and 3,000 hits, he hit 240 home runs and had 1,305 runs batted in. He was selected for the National League All-Star team 15 times.
Scanlon said the documentary was first shown at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas, where it won Audience Choice for Documentary Spotlight.
It was shown at several other festivals, and then picked up and licensed to show on the History Channel.
History Channel Executive Vice President and Head of Programming Eli Lehrer praised the documentary prior to its release.
“We hope generations old and new will find motivation in Clemente’s legacy,” he said. “Whether you’re picking up a baseball glove or lending a service hand in your neighborhood, we all can learn something from this selfless individual.”
The documentary can continue to be watched on History Channel as well on Prime Video and Apple TV.
Scanlon said he had a call from his sister that she watched the documentary on an airline flight a couple of weeks ago, and then has had others recently tell him they saw it on their flights.
The Emmy nomination may help provide leverage to get the movie into other arenas as well, he said.
Scanlon said the film faces some tough Emmy competition in its category.
Among the other nominees are “Surviving Ohio State” about an abuse scandal; “Elway,” about NFL Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway; and an “E60” episode about the life and legacy of Major League Baseball pitcher Jim Abbott.
While some people have preconceived ideas about sports documentaries being sports-oriented, Scanlon urges people to watch the “Clemente” trailer on YouTube.
“It’ll hook you,” he said. “It’s just a well-done, independent documentary.”
The awards will be announced May 26-28 in New York City.
Other Projects
The Wyoming attorney continues to be involved in other film projects as well as an adviser.
One he can’t talk a lot about has a “Monuments Men” meets “James Bond” flavor, he said.
The plot involves a guy who was in Europe after World War I and managed to obtain art from Picasso and others who were in Paris during that era.
He was also serving as a spy for the U.S. government.
“It’s a very cool Netflix limited series-type concept and it is in the early stages, but it is a great story,” Scanlon said. “There’s a reality hook, because a lot of this art was recently just discovered in a container.”
Another project he’s involved with that is set to begin shooting in Ethiopia in May is called “Lost Boys.”
It is about two boys in the nation’s foster care system. One is about to age out of the system and is worried about what will happen to his friend.
Scanlon said the project involves some major actors, including an Ethiopian actor who lives in the United States. Part of the effort is meant to help build up the Ethiopian film industry, grow talent there and help businesses.
“There is not much out there about the project now, but I think it will be a big deal when it is released,” he said. “It’s going to be a beautiful film and it’s going to have some high-profile stars attached."
Dale Killingbeck can be reached at dale@cowboystatedaily.com.
