Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Veterans Day at Dodger Stadium: Servicemen and women get baseball tips from Dodger greats (photos)
Listen
• 3:08
Veterans and their families and friends were invited to Dodgers Stadium for the Dodgers Veterans Day Batting Practice.
(
Ken Scarboro/KPCC
)
Nick Mendes, active duty Coast Guard, his son Owen and his brother Joel came out for the Dodgers Veterans Day Batting Practice.
(
Ken Scarboro/KPCC
)
Marine Maria Garcia and her son Xavier
(
Ken Scarboro/KPCC
)
Jorden Miller-Root chases after the ball while playing catch with is father Sgt. 1st Christopher Miller-Root at the Dodgers Veterans Day Batting Practice.
(
Ken Scarboro/KPCC
)
Army Reservist Sothy Kun gets pitching lessons from Roy Gleason.
(
Ken Scarboro/KPCC
)
Active Navy Reservist Davis Sumida gets an autograph from Al Ferrara.
(
Ken Scarboro/KPCC
)
James Area come out with friends to the Dodgers Veterans Day Batting Practice.
(
Ken Scarboro/KPCC
)
Atip Viskul practices his pitch at the Veterans Day batting practice at Dodgers Stadium, Viskul served with the Army and is now active with the National guard.
(
Ken Scarboro/KPCC
)
Active Coast Guard member Rob Hunter and his son Max in the outfield of Dodgers Stadium during the Verterans Day batting practice.
(
Ken Scarboro/KPCC
)
Air Force member Jason Murray gets a glove signed by Al Ferrara.
(
Ken Scarboro/KPCC
)
Active Army Sgt. 1st Class Joe Parra, US Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew Parra and Steve Sueoka take a group picture in the Dodgers dugout.
(
Ken Scarboro/KPCC
)
Miguel Alderete, active duty Navy, gets an autograph from longtime Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda.
(
Ken Scarboro/KPCC
)
It’s no longer baseball season, but the Dodgers held batting practice on Monday.
On Veterans Day the Dodgers hosted about 100 active and former U.S. military servicemen and women at Dodger Stadium for the batting practice.
Former Dodgers Al Ferrara, Lou Johnson and Roy Gleason (an Army veteran and purple heart recipient) came out to give some batting and pitching pointers to veterans and their families. Veterans brought their kids to enjoy the day out on the Dodgers’ infield, playing catch and meeting famous Dodgers like Manager Tommy Lasorda.
Lieutenant Colonel Steven Cole, a righty, was one of those veterans. Cole has been in the Army for 8 years, and was deployed to Afghanistan.
Support for LAist comes from
He told KPCC's Nick Roman Sunday that the annual event come out of the team's close relationship with veterans.
“The Dodgers have a great relationship with the military here in Southern California," he said. "In the middle of the third inning at every game they honor a veteran of the game. I’ve been fortunate enough to help the Dodgers find some Army soldiers for those opportunities.”
“Being in the Army has been the only job I every wanted to do as a kid… The support that we get as service members on the streets here in Los Angeles is really overwhelming.”
One particular Dodger has a special place with Cole and his son:
“I’m not originally from here in Southern California but we moved here in 2012. During one of the games against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Henley Ramirez hit a home run ball – if he had thrown it to me it wouldn’t have been more perfect. It went right into my hands, and then from my hands to my son’s. Ever since that game we’ve been Henley Ramierez fans and certainly Dodgers fans ever since. It was a real special moment for our family.”
You can hear the full audio of Cole's interview at right.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake. -
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
-
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
Best of LAist