VOL 5, ISSUE 2 • JULY 2017

COMMUNITYNEWSLETTER

CELEBRAT ING $50 M ILL ION IN CHAR ITABLE G IV ING

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

CHAIRMAN

KEN KENDRICK

PRESIDENT

MICHAEL KENNEDY

VICE PRESIDENT

DERRICK HALL

TREASURER

TOM HARRIS

SECRETARY

DEBBIE CASTALDO

ADVISOR

DEAN SHORT

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BRIAN R. BOOKER

AMY COHN

J. ERIC GUDIÑO

GARRY HAYS

DR. MICHAEL HILGERS

CULLEN MAXEY

BRAD NELSEN

PATRICK J. PAUL

JIM SCUSSEL

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS FOUNDATIONEXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

dbacks com/community

TAMMY BAKER

MARK CAVANAUGH

HAMILTON ESPINOSA

VICKI FIORELLI

MONICA GASTON

BRETT HANSEN

GARY HANSON

TOM HATTEN

MARC ISAACS

JULIE JONES

CHRISTINA MARTINEZ

CULLEN MAXEY

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS FOUNDATIONEXECUTIVE COUNCIL

SHAWN McCLAIN

TOM MEEKS

PAUL ORTIZ

MIKE REINA

MIKE ROSS

RACHEL SAHLMAN

DENNIS SCULLY

MAX SIRSTINS

MO STEIN

ROB VANDERHEI

KERRI WHITE

The crack of the bat, the

pop of the glove, an umpire

bellowing “Striiiiiiiiike” and

the cheers of the fans are all

sounds that are synonymous

with summer. From Little

League fields to Major

League Baseball stadiums,

the national pastime takes

center stage as the weather

heats up. For the past 18

seasons, the Arizona Diamondbacks have offered a piece

of that stage to the best Native American ballplayers

from across the country and 2017 was no different.

The 19th Annual D-backs Inter-Tribal Youth Baseball

and Softball Tournament was the largest to date with 76

teams competing across four age divisions for four days.

Arizona is rich in Native American culture and as a very

young expansion franchise, the Arizona Diamondbacks

wanted those kids to grow up loving baseball and

specifically, loving the D-backs. It started off as a

friendship tournament for 9-to-12-year-old baseball

players. It was an opportunity for kids from different

tribal reservations to meet each other and play in some

friendly competition. As the tournament grew and the

kids got older but wanted to keep playing, we added a

13-to-15-year-old division in 2006 and a high school

baseball and high school girls’ softball division in 2008.

I had the opportunity to assist with many unique

projects in the Community Affairs department as in

intern in 2005, but when I helped with this tournament,

it was immediately my favorite event. The enthusiasm

of the coaches and kids as well as the kindness they

showed our staff and each other was invigorating. The

appreciation they have for the opportunity to play

meaningful games against one another while sharing in

their love of the game was refreshing. By 2007, I had

taken over as Tournament Director. My job with the team

has since changed but the Inter-Tribal Tournament is

one event that I always keep with me no matter what

my job description says. A few of the umpires from the

games this year told me this is their favorite event to

work each year. The level of respect that the players

and coaches show to everyone – even the umpires – is

unprecedented.

While this is a “friendship tournament,” the competition

and level of talent never cease to amaze me. These

are incredible Native American baseball and softball

players, and I look forward to the day one of our

participants plays on the professional level. We are the

only Major League team to host an all-Native American

tournament and as the saying goes, “If you build it,

they will come.” We now see teams travel to Phoenix

from as far as California, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South

Dakota and Mississippi each year to play against each

other. Some of the kids arrive in large buses with crisp

new uniforms while others arrive piled into their parents’

mini-vans in uniforms that don’t even have numbers.

The beautiful thing is that once they get on the field,

they are all equals. Whether the athletes are from the

Navajo Nation, the Gila River reservation or the Rosebud

Sioux reservation in South Dakota, they are all the best

and brightest from their hometowns.

At the 19th annual event, we had several players

participating as they had for the previous 10 summers,

but this time for the last time as they move on to

college. We had coaches who had played in the

tournament as kids. We had a coach who participated

with his son every year until his son turned 18 and

then he started over with another group of 9-year-olds

and his son as his assistant coach. The tradition of the

tournament runs deep in many Native American families

and the D-backs are honored to provide the platform for

its success.

Tara Trzinski

Sr. Manager, Community and Foundation Operations

Letter from TARA TRZINSKI

50

OFF IC IAL COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER OF THE AR IZONA D IAMONDBACKS

dbacks com/community

D-BACKS INTER-TRIBAL YOUTH BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT AND NATIVE AMERICAN RECOGNITION DAY

D-BACKS INTER-TRIBAL YOUTH BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

The D-backs hosted their 19th annual Inter-Tribal Youth Baseball and Softball Tournament from June 7-10. The four-day friendship tournament once again highlighted the talents of Native American youth baseball and softball players from across the country. This year, 76 teams and more than 1,300 participants had the opportunity to play on top-quality baseball

and softball fields and were recognized before the June 10th D-backs game during Native American Recognition Day, presented by Gila River Casinos.

One highlight of the tournament came on the final day, when the D-backs surprised the crowd at the Single-A Championship game by bringing the Chase Field experience to Salt River Recreation Center. D-backs players Robbie Ray and Jeremy Hazelbaker spent time in the dugouts with the Guadalupe Yaquis and the Gila Bend Bears as team mascot Baxter, organist Bobby Freeman, announcer Chuck Drago, and the Rally Backs brought a Major League feel to the game.

Congratulations to the winning teams!

Single-A (Ages 9-12): Guadalupe YaquisDouble-A (Ages 13-15): Naa’taaniiTriple-A Baseball (HS Freshmen-Seniors): Devil Dogs Triple-A Softball (HS Freshmen-Seniors): Mesa Indians

PAGE 2 VOL 5, ISSUE 2 • JULY 2017

NATIVE AMERICAN RECOGNITION DAY PRESENTED BY GILA RIVER CASINOS

On June 10, the D-backs celebrated the rich culture of the Native American community by hosting Native American Recognition Day, presented by Gila River Casinos. The festivities began when the gates opened and included performances throughout the ballpark – including one on the field – by 14 performance groups including, Native American drum groups, dancers, vocalists, royalty and more.

dbacks com/community

D-BACKS SAFELITE AUTOGLASSSUMMER OF SAFETY

The D-backs and Safelite AutoGlass have stepped up to the plate to help keep kids safe through the D-backs Safelite AutoGlass Summer of Safety Program. The program focuses on different areas of child safety, including swim safety, child car seat safety, bike safety, and back-to-school immunizations. The program aims to keep kids in the game all summer long by raising awareness and providing valuable information, instruction, and resources to the community.

SWIM SAFETY

The Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation and Safelite AutoGlass donated $25,000 to City of Phoenix Aquatics to expand access to swimming lessons in Phoenix this summer. The donation will help discount a limited number of swim lessons to only $3. In addition, funds will help keep pools open for lessons on weekends during the month of August. On April 27, D-backs and Safelite AutoGlass employees partnered with the Phoenix Fire Department to canvass over 2,000 high risk homes in Phoenix; distributing information about swimming lessons and CPR. Later that night instructors from City of Phoenix Aquatics taught micro swim lessons to youngsters from South Mountain Little League in the Ram Trucks Pool during the D-backs vs. Padres game! To learn more about swim safety or to register for swim lessons visit dbacks.com/safety.

CHILD CAR SEAT SAFETY

The Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation and Safelite AutoGlass donated 100 brand-new child car seats to the Phoenix Fire Department’s Child Car Seat Safety program. On April 29, the D-backs joined Safelite AutoGlass, the Phoenix Fire Department, and the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety for a free car seat safety check in Laveen. Technicians were on hand to check car seats to make sure they were properly installed. Seats that did not meet safety requirements were replaced free of charge. To learn more about the Phoenix Fire Car Seat Safety program call 602-465-5437.

BIKE SAFETY

On June 9, the D-backs and Safelite AutoGlass partnered with the Phoenix Fire Department and Phoenix Police to bring a Bike Safety Rodeo to the kids at the Warner A. Gabel Brach of the Boys and Girls Club in Phoenix. D-backs pitcher Andrew Chafin helped deliver more than 100 brand-new bikes and helmets to the kids which were assembled by volunteers from each partnering organization. After receiving their new bikes and helmets, the kids learned safety lessons from Phoenix Police and the Phoenix Fire Department.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL IMMUNIZATIONS

On July 22, the D-backs, Safelite AutoGlass and Phoenix Fire Department will hold a special back-to-school immunization event, which will provide free immunizations to underinsured children. For more information about the event, please visit dbacks.com/safety

PAGE 3VOL 5, ISSUE 2 • JULY 2017

OFF IC IAL COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER OF THE AR IZONA D IAMONDBACKS

dbacks com/communityPAGE 4 VOL 5, ISSUE 2 • JULY 2017

OFF IC IAL COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER OF THE AR IZONA D IAMONDBACKS

IN THE COMMUNITY

Paul Goldschmidt reads to students at Edison Elementary School after presenting a check to their teacher, LaToya Jones, who won a D-backs Most Valuable Teacher grant.

J.J. Hoover plays a game with a patient at Phoenix Children’s Hospital during a recent visit.

Sharon Robinson, daughter of Jackie Robinson, and Baxter recognize Anna Howe, grand prize winner in her age group in the “Breaking Barriers: In Sports, In Life” essay contest.

Baxter and children play on a brand-new playground, funded by a Ken Kendrick Grand Slam Award, at Neighborhood Ministries in Phoenix.

MYSTERY BALL

On Friday, August 11th, support the Arizona Diamond-backs Foundation by purchasing a baseball signed by one of your D-backs favorites! Fans can make a $40 donation in exchange for a Mystery Ball box containing an autographed baseball signed by D-backs players, coaches or alumni.

Mystery Ball sales begin when gates open at section 130. Quantities are limited.

D-BACK LICENSE PLATE

We wear gray on the road, and so can you with the new D-backs license plate!

For just $25 per year, you can display your enthusiasm every-where you go! With $17 from each plate benefiting the Arizona

Diamondbacks Foundation, to date over $1 million from D-backs license plates has been donated to education initiatives across Arizona!

Purchase your D-backs license plate at the MVD table at section 132 during any Saturday home game or online at servicearizona.com

D-BACKS AUTHENTICS

D-backs Authentics offers a wide array of game-used jerseys, caps, helmets, baseballs, bases, and bats, including specialty merchandise from Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, etc. All net proceeds from D-backs Authentics sales directly benefit the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation.

Shop online at dbacks.com/authentics or visit the new D-backs Authentics Store, located at Section 134 at Chase Field during any D-backs home game.

HOW YOU CAN GIVE BACK

D-BACKS GIVE BACK 50/50 RAFFLE

The D-backs Give Back 50/50 Raffle, supported by Western Refining, is available at every D-backs home game. The charitable half of the jackpot benefits the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation to support youth baseball field development and sports outreach across the state of Arizona.

Tickets are available for $2 each, 3 for $5, 10 for $10 or 40 for $20 from roving sellers in the stands and at raffle kiosks located throughout the Chase Field concourse levels.

Visit dbacks.com/raffle to learn more.