The San Rafael Pacifics and the U.S. Military Baseball Team
Opening day
Opening day, May 26, and August 18–these will be very special dates for the San Quentin baseball teams, both for the Giants and the A’s.
On May 26, the San Rafael Pacifics, a professional baseball team, will be playing a game at the prison. The former Dodger power hitter and right fielder from the 1980s, Mike Marshall, will be up against an all-star team from the A’s and Giants on Opening Day.
Everyone is justifiably excited about it. Scads of media will be on the field recording about everything possible. It will mean a lot to both teams, I hope.
At first Mike Marshall, or as he signs his email’s, MM, and I thought about switching batteries, that is, their pitcher and catcher playing for the prison team and our pitcher and catcher playing for the Pacifics. Thinking it over though it seemed better to just try our best to beat those guys.
On May 19 then, Elliot Smith’s team, the Oaks/Cubs, will be in Saturday morning for an opening day prior to opening day, the real one, on the 26th. Then that evening the A’s and Giants will play each other for the purpose of determining the “all stars” that will go up against the San Rafael Pacifics.
The Red, White, and Blue Tour
Along about the middle of February I began getting emails from a Terry Alvord, whom I thought was a manager of a local adult men’s baseball team that wanted to come in and play a game at the prison. Since it was way too early to schedule any games, I merely read the email and replied that the scheduling would take place toward the last of March. That was followed by a couple more emails from Terry and I happened to open up an attachment to one of them. I was shocked at what I saw.
Turned out his team is the U.S Military Baseball Team, on what they called the Red, White, and Blue Tour to raise money for wounded war veterans. They were heading up north from southern California and intending to go up through Oregon and Washington and then into Canada. They wanted to make a stop at the prison and play the team. But that was not all.
Looking at the few photos attached I was startled to notice that some of the players had metal legs. The players themselves were wounded vets. Our teams, and it is teams plural, are going to play both teams on August 18, one in the morning, the other in the evening. In the middle of the day, they want to connect with local VFW chapters. Then the next day, Sunday, the team will visit our little Miller Avenue Baptist Church in Mill Valley, where I am pastor. We will have a breakfast for them, then they will take over the service and preach and teach, then we will have lunch for them before they head out up north in their bus. what an honor.
My son Vern was in Desert Storm, and I consider him a real war hero, and I served as a medic for four years with the Air Force. So, it is a good match and we are privileged to be involved in this.
There will be lots of media at this game too. Cameras do funny things to people, me included. We will do and say dumb things. Looking at a camera, we lose it and can say some things we later wish we hadn’t. I am especially concerned about convicts with agendas who like to take advantage of situations. This stuff is out of my control so I just have to let it go, however, I will have a little talk about proprieties with the coaches and the players.
Wow, the Red, White, and Blue Tour–I wonder how the cons might get involved in the fund raising?