America 250’s Grand Finale Lands in Delaware, Ohio, With Baseball Royalty in the Room
All year, Ohio has been going to the movies. Now the credits are about to roll, and they are rolling in Delaware.
Ohio Goes to the Movies is one of the state’s official America 250 events. Since February, it has brought free film screenings to every one of Ohio’s 88 counties. Then on October 14, the whole thing wraps up with one final night, and the Strand Theatre is hosting it.
That is a big deal for a small downtown. Here is why the state picked this theater, this movie, and this town to close out the celebration.
The Strand has been running movies in Delaware since 1916. It is one of the ten longest-running theaters in the country.
Why This Movie, In This Town
The finale film is 42, the story of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball’s color line in 1947. On the surface, it has nothing to do with Delaware, Ohio. Look closer, and it has everything to do with it.
Branch Rickey was the baseball executive who signed Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers, the move that changed the sport forever. Long before that, Rickey was a student and catcher at Ohio Wesleyan University, right there in Delaware. The film’s biggest decision started, in a way, on that campus.
Who Will Be In the Room
The screening is only half the night. After the movie, a live panel brings together names that connect directly to the story on screen.
- Branch Rickey III — grandson of the man who signed Jackie Robinson
- Larry Doby Jr. — son of Larry Doby, the first Black player in the American League and a Cleveland Indian
- Marty Brennaman — Hall of Fame broadcaster for the Cincinnati Reds
- Sidney Carlson White – Assistant Curator at the Jackie Robinson Foundation Museum
- Dr. Lesley Heaphy — Negro Leagues baseball historian, moderating the discussion
Two generations of baseball history, sitting in the same room where the story first took root.
The Night, Start to Finish
According to the Strand Theatre’s event page, here is how October 14 will unfold.
- 5:00 p.m. — Doors open
- 6:00 p.m. — 42 screens in all three Strand auditoriums at once
- 8:30 p.m. — Live panel discussion with special guests
- Food trucks on Winter Street, book signings, and Strand popcorn to complement the evening
Tickets are free, with a limit of two per person.
A Statewide Celebration, One County at a Time
This finale is the last stop on a long trip. Ohio Goes to the Movies set out to bring a screening to every county in the state, from historic movie palaces to small-town libraries. According to Ohio Goes to the Movies, that goal has now been met, with screenings booked in all 88 counties.
It fits neatly into what America 250 is meant to be about. Not just one big national moment, but hundreds of small, local ones, all adding up to the same story.
“Movies have always had a way of bringing people together, and this event is a wonderful example of that,” said Tracey Peyton, managing director of The Strand Theatre. “What makes Ohio Goes to the Movies so special for Delaware is the incredible number of people, businesses and organizations coming together to make it happen. From our downtown merchants and community partners to our volunteers, arts organizations, schools and residents, everyone has found a way to be part of the celebration. The Strand is proud to be the gathering place for this experience, because at its heart, this is what our historic movie theatre is meant to do—bring people together and help build community.”
Reserve your free tickets, grab a seat in one of three packed auditoriums, and stay for a conversation offering perspectives on two pioneers who transformed professional sports.
Building community through America’s favorite pastime is an easy choice. Get ready, settle in, and pass the popcorn!
Reserve tickets and find full event details at strandtheatreoh.com/ohio-goes-to-the-movies.
One theater. Three generations of moviegoers. One country turning 250. See how Ohio keeps that story alive, one generation at a time.
