Ports stock up on alumni events

In Stockton, Calif., the history of our national pastime runs deep.

Professional baseball in the area dates back to the 19th century, and the nickname of "Mudville" references the fact that Stockton may have been the inspiration for the legendary poem "Casey at the Bat." The city is also a charter member of the California League, which played its first season in 1941.

That Cal League franchise is the Stockton Ports, who are doing their part to promote and preserve their nearly 70 years of history. The Ports established the "Alumni Club" prior to the 2008 campaign, an ambitious and all-encompassing program that seeks to honor the past while keeping former players connected with each other and the community. These efforts are highlighted by the team's annual "Alumni Night" celebrations, the most recent of which took place Saturday.

Sixteen alumni, representing six different decades of Ports baseball, were on hand at Banner Island Ballpark. The former players all threw out ceremonial pitches after being introduced, and they later led the crowd in the seventh-inning stretch. Meanwhile, the present-day Ports took the field wearing retro 1954 zip-up jerseys. The evening's guest of honor was Don Belton, the only pitcher in Ports history to win 20 games in back-to-back seasons (the championship teams of 1946-'47). All fans in attendance received a photo of the 5-foot-3 former ace.

Ports media relations director Kristin Pratt, who currently serves as the driving force behind the Alumni Club, said that one of the highlights of "Alumni Night" is witnessing the reunion of teammates who hadn't seen each other for decades.

"It's really neat seeing these guys come together again," said Pratt, who is in her first season with the Ports. "This year, when [1955-'56 Port] Jim Johnson came into the room, the other guys from those teams stood up in amazement, like 'Is that Jim Johnson?' They hadn't seen him for over 50 years."

The annual "Alumni Night" promotion is just one of many ways the Ports are reaching out to their former players. A few of the initiatives Pratt currently is working on include an alumni softball game, an honorary manager program and lifetime passes to Banner Island Ballpark for all former players. She also compiles a bi-monthly alumni newsletter that features team news, anniversaries, and archival photos.

"If I could have triple-majored in college, I would have done history as well as English and journalism," said Pratt. "I have always loved baseball history, and being part of something like this is something I really enjoy."

Another notable alumni-related promotion will take place at Banner Island Ballpark on July 12, when Satoshi Hirayama will be the guest of honor at Japanese American Baseball Heritage Night. Hirayama played for the Ports in 1952 before serving in the U.S. military, and he eventually spent several seasons playing professionally in Japan. The Ports also hope to schedule a promotion honoring Pumpsie Green, who suited up for Stockton in 1955. Four years later, Green made history as the first black player to ever take the field for the Boston Red Sox (the last team in Major League Baseball to integrate).

But Hirayama and Green represent just the tip of the iceberg. The Ports' ultimate goal is to compile as much information as they can regarding the experience of playing professional baseball in Stockton. To that end, they are working on locating the whereabouts of all of their former players.

"We are trying to reach out to as many people as we possibly can," said Pratt. "It's our job to keep this history and these traditions alive."