Writer-director Ron Shelton on ‘Bull Durham’ breaking the rules of a typical sports movie

Ron Shelton has written and directed some of the most iconic sports films, including “White Men Can’t Jump,” Tin Cup,” and “Bull Durham.” His new book “The Church of Baseball: The Making of ‘Bull Durham:’ Home Runs, Bad Calls, Crazy Fights, Big Swings, and a Hit” details the ups and downs of making the 1988 film that starred Kevin Costner and Susan Sarandon. Shelton tells The Treatment he broke the rules of screenwriting for that film, which lacked a three-act structure and a big climactic game at the end. He talks about finding an unlikely actor for the film while watching “Late Night with David Letterman.” And he explains why he made a last minute location change for one of the film’s key scenes.