‘A League of Their Own’ TV Show Casts ‘Parks and Rec’ Star as Coach, Filling Tom Hanks Void

Amazon has found its version of Jimmy Dugan for its new series A League of Their Own. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Nick Offerman, who is known for his work on Parks and Recreation, has landed the role for the series. He will play Casey “Dove” Porter, who will be the coach of the team centered around the show. A League of Their Own will focus on the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. It will be based on the 1992 film with the same name.

Dove is a former Cubs pitcher who is brought in to coach the Rockford Peaches. He is known for his forkball pitch that killed a dove in mid-air during a game and was looked at to be the next MLB star. However, he blew his arm out and now looking to make a comeback by leading the Peaches to a championship. Offerman takes on the role that was made famous by Tom Hanks in the 1992 movie.

The Amazon series stars Abbi Jacobson who is also a co-creator. The cast also includes Chanté Adams, D’Arcy Carden, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Kelly McCormack, Roberta Colindrez and Priscilla Delgado. A League of Their Own also features guest stars Molly Ephraim, Kate Berlant and Melanie Field. The Hollywood Reporter said a few surviving members of the AAGPBL served as consultants on the pilot and expected to stay on with the series. Jamie Babbit directed the pilot, and the series is currently in production in Pittsburgh.

“Twenty-eight years ago, Penny Marshall told us a story about women playing professional baseball that up until then had been largely overlooked,” Jacobson and co-creator Will Graham said in a statement last year. “We grew up obsessed with the film, like everyone else. Three years ago, we approached Sony with the idea of telling a new, still overlooked set of those stories.

“With the help of an enormously talented team of collaborators, an amazing cast and the devoted support of Amazon to this project, we feel beyond lucky and excited to get to bring these characters to life. It took grit, fire, authenticity, wild imagination and a crackling sense of humor for these players to achieve their dreams.”