Synopsis/Details
"Predator in the Clubhouse: The Boston Red Sox Child Molestation Story" is a 119-page screenplay. It is based on a true, untold story similar to “The Boys of St. Vincent” (1992). The events occurred in Winter Haven, Florida, where the Boston Red Sox held spring training at the Chain of Lakes Ballpark. Donald Fitzpatrick, the organization's clubhouse manager, was a white man known as Fitzy. Over twenty years, from 1971 to 1991, Fitzy is believed to have molested more than a dozen boys who worked as clubbies under him at the facility. He pled guilty in 2002 but never served time. He received a ten-year suspended sentence and fifteen years of probation. Fitzy died in 2005, but the victims' stories have never been told… Until now.
The story is told by Will, a survivor now in his thirties, to a psychiatrist named Dr. Ross in 2001. As he tells his story, we flash back to 1981, when Will was a teenager, and the events took place. The story shows how Will’s life was turned upside down as he tried to fight the demons caused by his sexual abuse. He tells how he and many other young boys became victims of Fitzy. Fitzy would go to Will’s neighborhood near the ballpark in Florida and recruit young boys to work at the ballpark as Clubbies. He told the young boys that they would have the opportunity to meet many of their favorite professional players. Fitzy mainly targeted fatherless homes and would convince their mothers that it was an opportunity for them to earn money and get a job. He would then shower the young boys with food, gifts, money, and Red Sox memorabilia. It would all come at a high price, as many of them later became victims.
Will reveals how the circumstances of these young boys, mostly poor and fatherless, were exploited, even by some players who used them as drug runners. Will helps explore the predator's mindset and how he used his authority to control and manipulate these young victims. Will also helps explore the victims' minds. Will’s story will help us learn to recognize signs of abuse that parents might overlook. We send our children to professional sports organizations, expecting them to be safe and trusting that top athletes and staff will protect them. But how many scandals like those at Penn State or the Boston Red Sox remain hidden? How can we better safeguard our youth? This story aims to raise awareness and save lives.
This screenplay is now award-winning, with four film festival selections, three of which earned awards (Best Drama Screenplay at the 2026 Los Angeles Movie & Music Video Awards, a selection at the 2025 LA Film & Documentary Awards, Best Drama Screenplay at the 2025 New York Film & Cinematography Awards, and a Genre Winner at the 2025 Your Script Produced! 4th Edition International Screenplay Competition, which is represented by United Talent Agency). Gary’s 183-page book version, with a slightly different title, is available on Amazon. The book is called “Predator on the Diamond: The Boston Red Sox Youth Molestation Story.”
