(Scott Clarke/ESPN Images)
(Rick Stewart/Getty Images)
This past Thursday was International Talk Like A Pirate Day. For actor and passionate Pittsburgh Pirates fan Michael Keaton, this summer has been one to celebrate.
The Pirates have a winning record for the first time since 1992 and are battling for a playoff berth. Wednesday, Keaton authored the first of a series of posts for ESPN.com regarding the Pirates’ quest for the postseaon.
How did the actor known for his portrayals of everyone from Beetlejuice to Batman become a Buccos columnist?
Michael Knisley, senior deputy editor at ESPN.com, knew that Keaton was a Pirates fan and reached out to gauge his interest in writing about this historic season.
“His publicist passed along my inquiry and got a quick, ‘Yes.’ ” Knisley told Front Row’s Dan Quinn. “After a lot of back-and-forth between myself and Michael, it was his suggestion to file periodic dispatches during the last couple of weeks of the pennant race and for as long as the Pirates stay alive in the postseason.”
No doubt Keaton would love to be sharing his thoughts with ESPN.com readers about a Pirates World Series parade in November.
By Sheldon Spencer
ICYMI: Highlights from the past week on Front Row
• ESPN Images went behind the scenes with College GameDay’s coverage of Alabama-Texas A&M
• ESPN’s Remote Operations team gave a look inside the Monday Night Football production trucks
• ESPN and ESPN Deportes debuted One Nación in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month
• The Lineup: Ten truly Texas sights at Longhorn Network
• Bonus: Some 43 years ago today, Monday Night Football officially debuted. This 2012 Front Row post has more details.
Row of Four
Our favorites from across ESPN over the past week
• From Rick Reilly: Do team nicknames honor or dishonor Native Americans?
• From Jeff MacGregor: The greatest of all time in boxing? Nah, it’s more like the greatest right now.
• From espnW: Forty years after the ‘Battle of the Sexes,’ espnW remembers tennis’ iconic match.
• Enjoy an array of photos from the ESPN Images’ Instagram page
