SESSER - While MTV shouldn't be concerned about competition just yet, STV -that's "Sesser Television" - did get off the ground briefly Friday afternoon when a homemade video was shot in front of the Opera House Restaurant.

A grassroots effort that has taken hold to attract the attention of television talk show star Oprah Winfrey went to video this week at two different locations in this small Franklin County community.

"We thought it would be fun to make a video and send it to Oprah," said businesswoman Angela Furlow, owner of Anjo's Pizza. "We're fans of hers and we want her to come to Sesser and we want her to read our book."

The book that Furlow is speaking about is "Playing With the Enemy: A Baseball Prodigy, a World at War, and a Field of Broken Dreams," written by Gary Moore, who lives near Chicago.

The book is being sold nationwide and details the life of Moore's father, Gene Moore, a 15-year-old baseball player from Sesser who attracted the attention of major league baseball scouts from the Brooklyn Dodgers in the early 1940s only to have his dream of playing professional baseball snuffed out by World War II.

Passersby along Illinois 154 - the main artery that runs through Sesser's business district - must have been somewhat surprised Friday afternoon at the large contingent of local residents smiling, waving, holding signs and generally hamming it up for the camera.

Furlow has helped spearhead the effort to get Moore's book in Oprah's hands. Along with Friday afternoon's effort, Furlow said a video was also made at the local schools, where more than 800 students took part.

"We also had fans made that are in the shape of a phone that say 'we're a fan of Oprah,'" Furlow said. "We had kindergarten through 12th grade in the gym and the cheerleaders made up a cheer. We even had a group of students make up a rap song inviting Oprah to Sesser. Even if Oprah doesn't come to Sesser I think it's great that the book has given our town some recognition."

Hollywood movie producer Gerald Molen ("Schindler's List," "Minority Report," "Jurassic Park") has acquired movie rights to "Playing With the Enemy." Filming is set for mid-2007.

Sesser residents began a concerted effort a few weeks ago to engage the support of Oprah. Signs reading, "Dear Oprah, Please call us, we have a great American story to tell," have been erected on the three main arteries leading into Sesser.

Mayor Ned Mitchell said he believes the human drama and small town flavor of "Playing With the Enemy" make it the type of book Winfrey often promotes on her national talk show.

"Oprah has a book club and we believe this is a book she might be interested in," Mitchell said. "She occasionally gets out of Chicago and goes on the road with her show. We want to again extend an invitation to her to visit Sesser as our guest."

Mitchell said one of the main attractions on Sesser's Main Street is the Opera House Restaurant where the video was shot.

In extending the invitation to Winfrey, Mitchell said the city will be willing to officially change the name of the restaurant on the day of her visit to the Sesser Oprah House.

Along with the signs the city has also printed 500 bumper stickers that simply say, "Oprah Call Sesser" with the city hall phone number included.

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