Letters to 87, Presented Commercial-Free by Toyota, Airs Tuesday, Aug. 21 at 8 P.M.
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30-Minute Documentary Features Personal Stories from Fans About “The Catch”
and Impact the Iconic Play Had on Their Lives
Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott, Edward J. DeBartolo Jr. and Keena Turner Join Letters to 87
News
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – August 9, 2018 – NBC Sports Bay Area (@NBCSAuthentic) celebrates the life and legacy of San Francisco 49ers legend Dwight Clark with Letters to 87 – a 30-minute documentary featuring heartfelt stories from fans on what they were doing at the time of “The Catch” and the impact Clark’s iconic play had on their lives. Letters to 87, presented commercial-free by Toyota, debuts Tuesday, Aug. 21 at 8 p.m. Click here to watch a preview trailer of Letters to 87.
On February 22, 2018, Clark joined 49ers beat reporter Matt Maiocco on NBC Sports Bay Area’s 49ers Insider Podcast. Given his strong relationship with the fans, Clark had expressed to Maiocco his interest in collecting letters from the fans sharing their stories about “The Catch” and how it impacted their lives. Clark’s initial thought was to put those letters into a book and use it as a way to raise money for the Golden Heart Fund, his charity of choice that helps former 49er players experiencing physical, emotional and financial burdens.
Maiocco put the word out and the letters poured in. Two weeks before Clark passed away on June 4 after a valiant battle with ALS, Maiocco, along with several friends and former teammates, traveled to Whitefish, Montana to visit Clark and read him the letters.
Over the next two hours, Clark heard from diehard fans whose devotion to the team was rewarded when “The Catch” propelled the 49ers to their first Super Bowl. The letters contained heartfelt and poignant remembrances of “The Catch.” He heard from people who were going through difficult times and experienced life-changing joy. He heard funny anecdotes about what occurred in people’s lives as the play developed. Most of all, he heard how “The Catch” enriched families and connected people.
Letters to 87 includes some of the letter-writers, as well as Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott, Edward J. DeBartolo Jr. and Keena Turner.
After the debut (Tuesday, Aug. 21 at 8 p.m.), Letters to 87 will re-air on NBC Sports Bay Area on Thursday, Aug. 23 at 2 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 26 at 5 p.m. and Wednesday, Aug. 29 at 2:30 p.m. Visit NBCSportsBayArea.com for additional air dates and times.
Letters to 87 is produced and directed by Emmy Award-winning producer Sean Maddison and NBC Sports Bay Area’s 49ers Insider Matt Maiocco.
NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California, both part of NBC Sports Regional Networks, serve more than four million households in Northern California, Nevada, Southern Oregon and Hawaii. NBC Sports Bay Area, the television home of MLB’s San Francisco Giants, NBA’s Golden State Warriors, and the official regional sports network of the San Francisco 49ers, also features a robust lineup of Emmy Award-winning news, analysis and original programming. NBC Sports California offers live coverage of MLB’s Oakland Athletics, NBA’s Sacramento Kings, NHL’s San Jose Sharks, MLS’s San Jose Earthquakes and is the official regional sports network of the Oakland Raiders. Collectively, these networks deliver more than 600 live game broadcasts per year. NBCSportsBayArea.com and NBCSportsCalifornia.com provide fans with comprehensive digital coverage of the hometown teams with original stories and content from a team of “Insiders,” breaking news, up-to-the-minute game previews/recaps, highlights and multimedia video clips. Follow both networks on social media –Twitter: @NBCSAuthentic; Instagram: NBCSAuthentic; Snapchat: NBCSAuthentic; and Facebook: facebook.com/NBCSAuthentic.
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