"I am in total shock" - Rickey Hill astonished by success of his real-life baseball story turned Netflix hit
Rickey Hill may not be a household name when it comes to professional baseball players, yet thanks to a resurgence of the biopic The Hill on Netflix, he may soon be. After the film garnered minimal attention when it was released in theatres late last year, it has since enjoyed a second life on the hit streaming service.
Rickey Hill's story has found new life thanks to the success of The Hill, which is one of the top streaming movies on Netflix. The film follows Hill as he overcomes his degenerative hereditary spine disease in order to pursue his goal of playing baseball at a professional level.
"The Hill," released in theaters last year to a moderate response, has become a sensation on Netflix, telling the uplifting tale of former baseball pro Rickey Hill. Read more from @MrogersFOX on the FOX Sports App." - @MLBONFOX
The heartwarming story stars Emmy-nominee Dennis Quaid, as well as Colin Ford as the titular character. The story follows Hill as he develops as a young baseball player, following his journey as he continues to push toward professional baseball.
Thanks to the success of the film on Netflix, Rickey Hill has seen his story come back into the limelight. This is something that the man himself never could have predicted, saying "I am in total shock."
The now 66-year-old cannot believe the level of success the movie has achieved since moving to the popular streaming site. Hill even joked during a conversation with Fox Sports Insider, saying that he has been receiving phone calls from a number of women asking if he is still married.
Did Rickey Hill make it to the MLB?
Unfortunately for Hill, he was unable to reach the MLB as his spine eventually gave out due to his degenerative hereditary spine disease. That being said, Hill did make it to the minor leagues. Hill signed with the Montreal Expos in 1975 and spent four years in the team's minor league system before being forced to retire at only 22 years old.
"If you're a #Montreal #Expos fan, or really #MLB fan at all, you need to watch The Hill with Dennis Quaid. Tells the true story of Rickey Hill who overcame incredibly tough odds to make it into #Expos system in the 70s. Slow, but great movie for any sports fan. @dannogallagher7" - @Mat_Germain_
It remains to be seen if Hill could have reached the MLB level, but he certainly performed during his minor-league career with the Montreal Expos (Washington Nationals). Over the course of his four-year minor league career, Hill posted an impressive .298 batting average with 26 home runs and 116 RBIs.