RICHMOND, Ind. -- Richmond Flying Mummies part-owner Matt Bomberg talks about what it means for the stars from such a gigantic movie to take interest in this little city of 35,000 in eastern Indiana. A place more routinely known for its obscure Jazz roots or prolific production of lawnmowers than anything else.
"It's very exciting, for a town this small," Bomberg said, motioning to the fans swarming the concourse. "We're in between Indianapolis and Dayton, you know, it's kind of lost a little bit. It's a big deal."
Walking around this humid Midwestern night, you can see how big a deal it is.
Nearly all of the 2,000 or so fans in attendance -- that's how much 90-year-old Don McBride Stadium can hold -- are in line to get autographs from their three Hollywood-famous owners: three of the stars from the 2004 comedy "Napoleon Dynamite."
Many in white "Vote For Pedro" shirts, a few taking photos next to a replica of Uncle Rico's van, and some -- in full Napoleon costume, with full Napoleon expressions -- just wondering how this all happened.
"It kind of shocked me, it was like 'Why Richmond?'" one red-wigged fan said. "It's a small town. It's really cool, though."
"I am so excited," a man in a Rex Kwon Do outfit said, after, unprompted, doing his best Rex Kwon Do impression. "I went to the screening last night. The whole cast was there. It was great, man."
Standing just off to the left of the Flying Mummies dugout (yes, that's really the name of their team in Richmond), Jon Gries (Uncle Rico) smiles when asked why he, Jon Heder (Napoleon) and Efren Ramirez (Pedro) decided to be part of the ownership for this team, miles and miles from anywhere the three of them ever lived or grew up.
"Hey, hey, pan to the crowd," he says, telling the camera to point to the hordes of fans in the stands.
"Go mummies!" Ramirez yells.
The crowd, staring, seemingly waiting and hoping for their team owner to call to them, roars.
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Gries agreed to go in on the team in Richmond because, well, he just loves the Northwoods League.
Sure, he loves Major League Baseball, but there's something about the 26-team summer collegiate league, one that snakes through these out-of-the-way towns along the Midwest corridor, that's just sort of pleasant. It's hard to find a more intimate setting for the country's oldest game.
The Dynamite actor (and yes, White Lotus star) has even recorded promos for the league.
"This is about community," Gries said. "It's amazing."
Gries made an appearance at a Madison Mallards game in 2025, and it was there that he linked up with Bomberg. The two bonded over their love for the league and baseball in general. So, when Bomberg agreed to be part of the ownership group for the new 2026 team in Richmond and they needed some more buy-in, the hardball lifer knew who to call.
"I reached out to Jon and he was in from the beginning," Bomberg said. "Big into the community, wanted to see what else he could do."
But, well, Gries wanted even more of an investment in the Mummies.
"You know, he tours around with the other guys," Bomberg said with a smile. "At first they thought he was crazy. Then, you know, they were interested. We had a call and they came in too."
Or, as Heder puts it:
"[Gries] wore us down," the actor said. "He was just like, 'Baseball, baseball, baseball.' I was like, 'Dude, you're known for football, let's lean into the football thing.'"
Heder admitted he's not a huge sports guy and says Napoleon would've tried hard as a baseball player, but "not been very good." It was actually more Heder's wife, Kirsten, who wanted a stake in the team.
"She grew up traveling around because her dad was in the military," Bomberg said. "And they went to a lot of Minor League ballparks. When this got brought up, she was the one who was like, 'We have to do this,' because that's what she remembers and loved it."
Ramirez, now also a DJ (Bomberg says he might be back to turn some tables at an upcoming game), is in it more for that communal feel.
"We love families, we love communities and being able to be a part of this," he said.
And it also didn't hurt that the team name is the Flying Mummies. How could the cast from one of the weirdest movies of all time not be attracted to one of baseball's weirdest team names?
The origins of the name come from Richmond having two Egyptian mummies on public display -- locals will proudly tell you that they're the Mummy Capital of the Midwest. The Flying part comes from the few years that the Wright Brothers lived in the town before moving to Ohio and aviation glory. The team currently has a rooster as a mascot, an ode to the Indy League Roosters that used to play at McBride Stadium, but the owners are working on getting a new, more appropriate, representative for this team.
"We've been dabbling in the black arts," Heder said. "We're gonna see what we can do to bring out a real mascot. C'mon, man."
"Halloween is coming up, so you know what that means," Ramirez added.
"We'll just shovel him out here, in pieces," Gries said.
As darkness creeps in, and the stadium lights click on, the three stars continue signing autographs for a line that only seems to be getting longer. Even after a tug-o-war, a dance-off and other on-field activities on such a warm evening, the trio doesn't seem to have lost their joy and affection for a crowd that shows it all right back to them. Bomberg has seen that infectious passion and curiosity from day one.
"Yeah, we have an owner text chat," Bomberg said. "I send them pictures from opening night, what the team record is, what we're selling and things like that. They all respond. They're very active on their socials. We'll post stuff and they'll put it on their stories. And they have a lot of ideas on other stuff we can do here, too."
In the actual game, the Mummies hold a commanding 10-3 lead into the eighth inning, but the visiting Rockford Rivets storm all the way back to tie things at 10. Then, in the 12th, nearly four hours after the first pitch, the home team gives their celebrity guests a wild, walk-off win.
And unlike most owners, the three were right in the thick of the huddles and hugs. Celebrating with the team.
One, fittingly, now in the rooster (soon to be mummy) mascot suit.