“Bryce Begins” Airs Tuesday Night On ESPN

Apr 23, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper (34) runs to second base on a double in the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Nats wunderkind Bryce Harper is the subject of a up close and personal documentary airing Tuesday, April 30th on ESPN at 9:00 p.m.

Jess Atkinson, familiar to Washington DC area sports fans for his stint as a place kicker for the Washington Redskins and now WUSA-9 sports director, is the moving force behind the documentary, which chronicles Harper’s first year in the major leagues.

The show contains behind the scenes footage, interviews with Harper and his family members, comments by Bryce’s former coaches and other current Nats players.

The show should be a draw not only for Nats fans, but for Harper fans all over the country. If Harper wasn’t already popular enough, this documentary should make him even more fans as his work ethic, down to earth attitude and closeness with his family are featured.

The problem for Nats fans is that the documentary debuts tonight during what should be the late innings of the Nationals-Braves game which starts tonight at 7:05 with Gio Gonzales on the mound for the Nationals.

Get the TiVo ready, or check ESPN over the next several weeks to catch a replay of “Bryce Begins”. I am sure that ESPN will re-run this one many times, especially if Bryce continues to have a monster year and flirt with post-season awards.