The newest film from documentarian Sam Katz tells the heartwarming story of a long and winding friendship between two Philadelphia sports legends.
Young Ray Didinger with former Eagles linebacker Dave Lloyd / Images courtesy of History Making Productions
In May of 2017, football fans and theater enthusiasts alike funneled into FringeArts for a special showing of Tommy and Me — a play written by the Hall of Fame sportswriter Ray Didinger about his lifelong friendship with Tommy McDonald, one of the Eagles’ most legendary wide receivers of all time.
It was (and is) a moving story, tracing the arc of a relationship that spanned from Didinger’s boyhood to McDonald’s deathbed — a tribute that Didinger wrote for and about his friend and hero.
That night, after the show, Didinger sat for a Q&A panel with Sam Katz — former mayoral candidate-turned-award-winning documentarian. During the session, one of the audience members addressed Katz: Are you going to make this play into a movie?
“Yeah,” Katz replied. “Let’s do it.”
Fast-forward 10 years, and here it is: Boys to Fame, Katz’s feature-length documentary — now streaming — brings Didinger’s play to life and details one of Philadelphia’s most touching sports stories.
The film, like the play, follows Didinger from his childhood in Delaware County to his illustrious career as Philly’s go-to guy for all things Eagles.
The tale begins with Didinger’s parents, lifelong Birds fans, taking their son from their home in Delco to Hershey, Pennsylvania to get a close look at Eagles training camp. It was here that Didinger, then just 10, first met McDonald, his favorite player. (Back in those days, you could get close to the players during camp.) Not only did they meet, but the two would walk together from their respective hotels to practice. McDonald, as the documentary notes, was struck by the young boy’s mental rolodex of football stats and by his eagerness to carry McDonald’s helmet — a habit that earned Didinger his nickname: “Little Brother.”
The film traces the years that follow: The two grew closer, right up until the moment McDonald was traded to the Cowboys, at which point they went their separate ways — Didinger headed off to a career in journalism and McDonald became an NFL journeyman. But their connection lasted. Boys to Fame captures the remarkable resilience of their bond, the journey it launched for Didinger, and — endearingly — the genuine likability of both men: Didinger, the earnest reporter; McDonald, the boisterous and beloved Philly icon.
Subject of the documentary Boys to Fame Ray Didinger sits for an interview in his home.
This was part of what drew Katz into the story, he says.
“[Didinger’s] words, whether they were in print or on television or in film, carried weight because he had so much credibility and so much dedication to the excellence of being a journalist,” Katz says. ”This dedication to his craft, no less so than Tommy’s dedication to his craft, made Ray, despite his sort of quiet nature, such an interesting character.”
When, later in life, the two men ended up reuniting, McDonald — who’d had a long, impressive career — shared with his old friend that his one great professional regret was never having been named to the Hall of Fame. So Didinger went to bat for his friend, leading a campaign to have McDonald immortalized as a Hall of Famer — a story his play would detail, and that Boys to Fame now follows.
The documentary, in many ways, is a love story about an era of the Eagles that younger generations of fans may not recognize. Before there was the Linc, there was Franklin Field. Before we were Super Bowl Champions, we were winners of the NFL championship; and before our star wide receiver was A.J. Brown, or Harold Carmichael, or DeSean Jackson, there was Tommy McDonald.
A young Tommy McDonald at Eagles training camp in Hershey, Pennsylvania
But the themes Katz explores in the Eagles of Tommy McDonald’s time — and, most importantly, in the fandom of that era — transcend generations. In the film, you see familiar South Philly bars, Eagles paraphernalia littering the walls, filled with locals bickering about the game; hordes of fans bundled up at Franklin Field; and eager kids who are walking, talking football encyclopedias.
All of this is woven into a touching time capsule of archival footage from McDonald’s glory days, clips from Didinger as he progresses through his career, home videos of McDonald being his animated self, and tender moments from a live recording of Tommy and Me.
“The story was timely — not just for sports, but for human interaction,” Katz says. “I love every frame. We worked very hard to make every frame meaningful.”
It worked: The viewer is left with 82 minutes of camaraderie and catharsis — and a reminder of what “The City of Brotherly Love” actually means. It’s a story about paying attention to people’s hearts more than their status; to helping others succeed in life. About integrity. Appreciation. Loyalty. And kindness.
“These are the kind of people you want your children and grandchildren to grow up to be,” Katz says.
Boys to Fame is available to rent for $7.99 or buy for $17.99 on boystofame.com.
Olivia Kram
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