SAN ANTONIO – When former Spurs player and current San Antonio Missions owner Manu Ginobili saw the damage done by the recent Hill Country floods, Ginobili said he and the Missions wanted to do their part to help.
That’s why the Missions held a fundraiser last Saturday and showed their support by having the players wear replica jerseys from schools affected by the flood – Comfort High, Center Point, Ingram Tom Moore and Kerrville Tivy.
Ginobili, sporting an Ingram red and black jersey, even threw out the first pitch and said it was the least he could do.
“It was crazy to see what happened,” Ginobili told the assembled media before taking to the mound for the first pitch.
All the jerseys the players wore were put up for auction with bids starting at $300. Ginobili’s jersey has drawn the highest bid at $1,800 so far.
Proceeds will go to the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund as well as towards a partnership the Missions are entering with the Round Rock Express, Nolan Ryan Foundation and RS3 Turf to help Ingram Little League rebuild their fields that suffered damage from the floods.
Prior to the game, high school players from affected schools were allowed to warm up with the Missions players, and before Ginobili’s first pitch, the schools represented were introduced to the fans along the thirdbase side.
Even the parent organization, the San Diego Padres, got into the act as the players wore replica jerseys in warm-ups before one of their MLB games.
A crowd of more than 6,000 turned out for last Saturday’s Missions contest and the fans were also treated to a fireworks show afterwards.
Ginobili said he never played baseball and admitted that he never touched a baseball until he came to America. He said his arm was a little sore from working on it and added that all his former Spurs teammates offered encouragement as he prepped for his first attempt at throwing a baseball in public.
“They were all very encouraging,” he said before going out and throwing a strike over home plate.
Comment
Comments