Pitchers Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax signed to appear in this movie as a tactic in salary negotiations for the 1966 baseball season. Both exercised escape clauses after coming to terms with the Dodgers.
Initially movie was developed as a TV movie but was considered too violent and subject matter to mature for TV consumption and was released theatrically.
Mrs. Doris Ruston: We're two of a kind, Mr. Valens, remember, two losers. And according to an old Chinese proverb, when you rub two losers together, sometimes you get surprises... sometimes even fire.