Private Project

Extra Innings: Grandpa Got Game

Heartwarming and amusing documentary about the Over the Hill Gang, a softball league for a close-knit group of old-timers who never gave up playing the sport they love. The film beautifully demonstrates that we can continue to follow our passions well into our golden years – despite the toll that aging takes on our minds, bodies, and spirits.

  • Robert Mandelberg
    Director
  • Robert Mandelberg
    Producer
  • Nika Stewart
    Producer
  • Robert Mandelberg
    Writer
  • N/A (documentary)
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Feature
  • Genres:
    Sports Documentary, Senior Documentary
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 2 minutes 19 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 28, 2025
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Garden State Film Festival
    Asbury Park, New Jersry
    United States
    March 29, 2025
    World Premiere
    Winner, Home Grown Documentary Feature
  • New Jersey Documentary Film Festival
    Sparta, New Jersey
    United States
    May 4, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Northeast Film Festival
    Teaneck, New Jersey
    United States
    September 7, 2025
    Winner, Best Documentary
  • Richmond International Film Festival
    Richmond, Virginia
    United States
    September 23, 2025
    Mid-Atlantic US
    Finalist
  • Chelsea Film Festival
    New York, New York
    United States
    October 18, 2025
    New York City
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Robert Mandelberg

Robert Mandelberg is a filmmaker, published author, and comedic writer with over 20 years of experience bringing heart, humor, and humanity to the stage and screen.

His documentary, Extra Innings: Grandpa Got Game, showcases his signature blend of storytelling and warmth as he follows a group of senior softball players who refuse to let age bench them.

A lifelong observer of the absurd and the inspiring, Robert has written and performed in hundreds of live comedy shows, authored six books on magic and mysteries, and directed everything from a regional comedy troupe to an award-winning film.

Whether he's crafting a punchline or capturing a powerful moment on camera, Robert’s work is driven by one goal: to tell stories that make people feel something—and maybe laugh a little along the way.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Extra Innings: Grandpa Got Game started as a little experiment. I began posting TikTok videos of a group of senior citizens playing softball on Saturday mornings—guys in their 70s and 80s diving for grounders, trash-talking each other, and laughing like teenagers. To my surprise, the videos exploded. One hit a million views. Then another. Then another. Tens of millions of people were watching these men do what they love—and something clicked. I realized this was a story that had to be told.

This film isn’t just about softball. It’s about showing up. It’s about refusing to fade quietly. It’s about what happens when you keep chasing joy, even when your knees hurt and your batting average isn’t what it used to be.

Audiences will meet some of the most fascinating characters on the team, including Scoop Steinberg, the 86-year-old sarcastic and sometimes cantankerous first baseman; Dick Sherman, the 85-year-old charming outfielder who stuns his teammates with an over-the-shoulder Willie Mays catch; and "Fall Down Larry," the lovable klutz who serves as comic relief and can't seem to complete a game without taking a spill or two.

Over the course of two years, I filmed these men not just as players, but as people—funny, fierce, vulnerable, and full of life. I saw friendships deepen, legends grow, and the game take on a whole new meaning. As starting pitcher Mitch Garson says in the film, "It's about friendships; and in-between the friendships you play a little ball."

I’m proud to have produced this film in a style that’s contemporary, energetic, and emotionally rich—because these men deserve to be seen for exactly what they are: not past their prime, but deep into their extra innings.