ESPN Films' 30 FOR 30 Shorts Continues With Slate of Five New Films

ESPN Films' award-winning 30 FOR 30 SHORTS documentary series returns with a spring lineup of five new short films debuting every Tuesday (with the exception of April 26) over the next six weeks. The films will premiere digitally onespn.com/30for30/shorts at 10 a.m. ET each Tuesday, and then will air later that week on Friday Night Movie Night, during the 6 p.m. ET hour of SportsCenter. Watch the trailer: http://es.pn/1S1TIut

The first documentary short premieres tomorrow, April 12, and takes a look at a unique golfer in New York City who plays lower Manhattan as his course with borrowed clubs and milk cartons stuffed with newspapers instead of golf balls. "Tiger Hood" shines the light on Patrick Q.F. Barr, who explains how golf saved him from despair and helped people recognize his other talent: photography.

Other films in the spring run will be: "When The King Held Court," about Elvis Presley's passion for racquetball and the impact it had on his life; "Gonzo @ The Derby," which looks at the birth of gonzo journalism after Hunter S. Thompson's 1970 Kentucky Derby assignment; "A.C. Green: Iron Virgin," about the former Lakers forward who not only earned the nickname "Iron Man" for playing in more consecutive games than anyone in NBA history, but also says he maintained his virginity throughout his 16 years in the NBA; and "The Shining Star of Losers Everywhere" tells the story of Haru Urara, a thoroughbred mare who could never win a race yet became a symbol of hope in Japan.

The schedule is as follows:

Film	Date	Platform
"Tiger Hood"	April 12	espn.com/30for30/shorts
	April 15	6 p.m. hour of SportsCenter, ESPN
"When The King Held Court"	April 19	espn.com/30for30/shorts
	April 22	6 p.m. hour of SportsCenter, ESPN
"Gonzo @ The Derby"	May 3	espn.com/30for30/shorts
	May 6	6 p.m. hour of SportsCenter, ESPN
"A.C. Green: Iron Virgin"	May 10	espn.com/30for30/shorts
	May 13	6 p.m. hour of SportsCenter, ESPN
"The Shining Star of Losers Everywhere"	May 17	espn.com/30for30/shorts
	May 20	6 p.m. hour of SportsCenter, ESPN

After their digital premieres, the shorts will also be available for viewing on WatchESPN, the ESPN app, and espn.com. Advance screeners for films are available upon request. The winter run of 30 FOR 30 SHORTS concluded in March and consisted of "Friedman's Shoes," "Slick, Nancy and the Telethon," "The Bad Boy of Bowling," "I am Yup'ik," and "No Kin To Me."

Summaries

"Tiger Hood"

Directed by Christopher Andre Marks

You won't find the name Patrick Q.F. Barr on any leaderboard. But he is a golfer worth knowing nonetheless. His course is lower Manhattan, his clubs are borrowed and his balls are... well, they're milk cartons stuffed with newspapers. In this 30 FOR 30 Short directed by Christopher Andre' Marks, you'll hear the story of "Tiger Hood" in his own words-about how golf saved him from despair and helped people recognize his other talent, photography. Truer words were never spoken than when Patrick says, "Don't cry over spilled milk."

"When The King Held Court"

Directed by Palmer Holton

The name Elvis Presley evokes a lot of memories: the music, the hips, the hair, the screaming fans. But one thing about "The King of Rock and Roll" that few commoners saw was his passion for racquetball. In this 30 FOR 30 Short laced with animation and interviews, viewers will learn why the legendary entertainer got involved in the sport, how he almost rescued it with a chain of Presley's Center Courts and what the elaborate court he had built at GRACELAND looked like. "The King" died on August 16, 1977, but perhaps he died happy. He had been playing racquetball that morning.

"Gonzo @ The Derby"

Directed by Michael Ratner

The lasting legacy of the 1970 Kentucky Derby has nothing to do with the winner, Dust Commander. Its true impact came from the assignment that Scanlan's magazine gave to a 32-year-old writer from Louisville named Hunter S. Thompson. Director Michael D. Ratner revisits that story in this 30 FOR 30 Short, talking with the late journalist's editors and friends and the actor who tried to revive what is known as "gonzo journalism," Sean Penn. The piece that Thompson turned in-fantastical, riotous and, by the way, late-opened so many eyes that "gonzo journalism" became an art form. As Thompson's partner in crime, illustrator Ralph Steadman, says, "We were the face of the crowd we'd gone there to find."

"A.C. Green: Iron Virgin"

Directed by Isaac Feder; Narrated by Will Ferrell and Executive Produced by Oscar winner Adam McKay

He played in a record 1,192 consecutive NBA games. As a power forward for the Los Angeles Lakers, he won two NBA championships. But what made A.C. Green even more distinctive was the courage of his convictions. As this ESPN 30 FOR 30 Short points out, Green was a devout Christian who says he maintained his virginity throughout his 16 years in the NBA, nine of them spent in the tempting, hedonistic atmosphere of LA. That didn't stop him from being a fierce, passionate competitor on the court. It just meant that he was someone who, as teammate James Worthy says, "could stay strong and not be broken." It was only after he retired after the 2000-01 season that Green got married.

"The Shining Star of Losers Everywhere"

Directed by Mickey Duzyj

In Japanese, Haru Urara means "Glorious Spring." But as this 30 FOR 30 Short, directed by Mickey Duzyj, makes delightfully clear, the name means a great deal more to the Japanese people. Haru Urara was a thoroughbred mare who never won a race. She first came to the public's attention after her 88th straight loss at troubled Kochi Racetrack, then picked up more and more supporters with each defeat. With her pink Hello Kitty patches, she became a symbol of hope in Japan. And though she never did win, Haru Urara did accomplish something greater: she saved the racetrack.

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