The Greatest Generation shares stories of WWII in Covina

COVINA >> From military veterans and Japanese inteees to female baseball players and female riveters, two filmmakers have spent the past 11 years collecting interviews with members of The Greatest Generation for a documentary that is nearing completion.

To kick of fundraising for post-production of the crowd-funded film project, “History Speaks”, producers Shari Doran and Susan Cummings of Pony Tale Films, both daughters of World War II veterans, brought many of their interview subjects together in a Covina wine bar Sunday afteoon.

At AvoVINO wine bar, history lovers got a chance to have a drink with military veterans, All American Girls Baseball League players and others who shared their stories for the film.

“You read about these people and you read about these stories in history books, and it really doesn’t seem to do these stories justice,” Cummings said.

• Photos: Local filmmakers launch fundraising for their film “History Speaks”

“History Speaks” is a departure from traditional documentaries in that it features no narrator or commentary from academic experts.

“We interviewed the people who could tell us, first-hand, about what it was like back then. They’re the experts,” Cummings said.

And with an estimated 1,000 World War II vets dying every year, the producers said they feel a sense of urgency to document as much of The Greatest Generation’s history as possible before it’s lost forever.

Japanese-American Ted Hamachi, 88, a lifelong West Covina resident, told stories of coming of age in an intement camp in Wyoming, where he and his family spent three-and-a-half years.

“I graduated high school in camp,” he said.

While Hamachi said he tends to focus on the future, rather than the past, it’s important that the following generations know what came before them. “We don’t want history to repeat itself,” he said.

Following the war, Hamachi said his family retued to West Covina, ultimately building a successful farm, which stood where the Plaza West Covina shopping mall exists today.

On a lighter historical note, among those on-hand in Covina Sunday were three players from the All American Girls Baseball League, which kept America’s pastime afloat as able-bodied men were sent overseas to fight.

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Katie Horsetman, 80, of Palm Desert, Shirley Burkovich, 83, of Cathedral City and Maybelle Blair, 89, of Palm Desert shared memories of their roles in a unique period of American history.

Horsetman pitched for the Fort Wayne Daisies from 1951 to 1954. She grew up on an Ohio farm with five brothers who she played baseball with every weekend.

After being recruited into the league as a teenager, a whole new world opened up to her, Horsetman said.

“I was happy to get off the farm. I didn’t want to milk cows anymore,” she said. “It was amazing.”

She most enjoyed the camaraderie she shared with fellow players, as well as the extensive travel. Prior to joining the league, she had never ventured out of her home state.

After her baseball career, Horsetman went on to become a librarian, nun and physical education instructor.

Burkovich said she was thrilled by the opportunity to play for the Rockford Peaches from 1949 to 1951. The team was featured in the 1992 hit movie, “A League of Their Own.”

Prior to the All American Girls Baseball League, “there was nothing for girls. No opportunities. To have an opportunity was great, she said.

Blair played for the Peoria Redwings in 1948. Though her mother initially opposed her joining the league, a scout managed to persuade her to allow Blair to play after telling her the league would pay a then-exorbitant salary of $15 per week.

People often ask if the players disliked their uniform skirts, Blair said. “We didn’t mind playing in skirts, but I’m still picking gravel out of my rear end,” she said with a smile.

The women are now helping in the Inteational Women’s Baseball Center’s efforts to establish a museum preserving the history of women in the sport.

The debut of a three-minute-long trailer of the upcoming film drew applause from the audience.

“Some of the people we interviewed had never spoken about their experiences before,” Doran said. “This generation is somewhat reluctant to speak about themselves. But it goes to show you that you should take a second and talk to someone who is a little older. You may be surprised to find yourself talking to a real live hero.”

Through the Indiegogo fundraising website, www.indiegogo.com/projects/history-speaks-a-documentary-film, Doran and Cummings hope to raise the $25,000 needed to complete video and audio editing of the film, add soundtracks, purchase stock footage and otherwise ready the documentary for broadcast release and museum use in time for the 75th aiversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor this December.