Tyler Covington, who is also an assistant coach at Chattanooga State, said he was in three scenes of the movie "42."
Covington, now a Chattanooga State baseball assistant coach, was cast last spring as the Boston Braves Danny Murtaugh in the movie “42.”
Portions of the Robinson biopic, was filmed at Chattanooga’s historic Engel Stadium.
Robinson broke the color barrier in major league baseball when he suited up for the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field on April 15, 1947.
Covington, who said his favorite Major League team is the Braves and
favorite all-time player is Barry Bonds, said being involved in a production that depicted history so well was like “being a part of the
golden ages of baseball.”
“They simulated it perfectly with Chadwick Boseman (who plays Robinson) and Lucas Black (who plays former Dodgers shortstop Pee Wee Reese)," he said. "They dressed us up in wool like the old time baseball players, which was miserably hot. They cut our hair, and put us through like we were in Hollywood.”
Covington, who also umpires and does hitting lessons, said he was on the set for four days. He had to be there for makeup at 6 a.m. and generally was there until 9 p.m. to get in around two scenes.
He said he is expected to be in three scenes involving warming up in the outfield, opening day during the National Anthem and in the dugout with the players.
Covington said he’s always had a lot of respect for the game of baseball, but this opportunity was a “very eye opening experience.”
“It was pretty interesting wearing an old school glove,” he said. “Back then it was just fingers. There was no web. You had to catch everything in the palm, so essentially you were catching everything barehanded … It made me realize how good those guys were because the bats were like logs. The cleats were like walking on barefooted spikes. It was miserable.”
Covington said he was very excited about seeing the film, set to be released on April 14 2013.
“I will be at the first premier with everyone,” he said. “I don’t know
what kind of premier there will be but I’m going to make sure I get to see it first.”
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