Blue Wahoos Welcome Two Centenarian Brothers, WWII Vets In Special First Pitch Moment
The two brothers had practiced tossing a soft, rubber baseball in the backyard, the first time these two centenarians, Navarre residents Earl and Arthur Drinkwater, had played ball since returning home from World War II. “They were unbelievable,” said son-in-law Joe Klaus, before adding in playful admiration, “I had to
The two brothers had practiced tossing a soft, rubber baseball in the backyard, the first time these two centenarians, Navarre residents Earl and Arthur Drinkwater, had played ball since returning home from World War II.
“They were unbelievable,” said son-in-law Joe Klaus, before adding in playful admiration, “I had to wear a catcher’s mitt. They wore me out. Art can throw pretty far, but underhand. Earl is an overhand thrower.”
“We backed off after awhile,” Art said. “We were hurting his hand.”
Days later, the two men stood in front of the pitchers’ mound Friday night at Blue Wahoo Stadium, set to throw a ceremonial first pitch before the Blue Wahoos game against the Rocket City Trash Pandas.
When their names were announced, their background history revealed, the crowd roared.
Even more poignant, players from the Trash Pandas stopped their pregame stretching routines beyond third base. The players froze, turned their heads to the infield in stunned amazement. They stood up and clapped when both tossed first pitches that rolled toward home plate.
“It was fun!” said Art Drinkwater, enthusiastically, who will turn 100 in February. “Glad we can do it!”
“Don’t know the last time I threw a baseball,” said Earl, who celebrated his 100th birthday in December.
“This is just so great,” said daughter Lisa Klaus, who is Arthur’s daughter. “Just having them together now is so special.”
Joe and Lisa Klaus live a few blocks away in Navarre from the Drinkwater brothers, close enough to make sure both men are doing well, along with Art’s 93-year-old wife, Jan, as they’re still to maintain a home.
The idea of honoring the World War II brothers was suggested to Joe Klaus when a neighbor mentioned he was watching a baseball game where a similar-age WWII veteran tossed out a first pitch. The Blue Wahoos then received notification and set it up.
“(Neighbor) texted me that night and said, ‘Hey can your father-in-law throw 30 feet?’ I said, I don’t know, I will ask him and so I asked both of them and they said, oh yeah we can do it,” Klaus said.
Joe Klaus’ father, Billy Klaus, played 11 seasons in the major leagues as an infielder for five different teams, including five seasons with the Boston Red Sox. Baseball can be such an special connecting world.
After his dad reached the highest level, Joe was now watching the two Drinkwater men – at their ages -- throw out first pitches at a professional game.
“They are pretty amazing individuals. (Earl) came down to Navarre and moved in with (Art) about two years ago,” Klaus said.
The Drinkwater brothers were raised on farm in Foxcroft, Maine. Their mother passed away when they were 3 and 4 years old. Their father raised them with help from aunts and uncles.
When World War II broke out, Earl was drafted into the U.S. Army. A year later, Art went into the Navy. Earl wound up in France, not far from the beachfront when the Normandy Invasion took place on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Art was on a Navy ship in Asian Pacific.
Their other two brothers were also part of U.S. Armed Forces in World II. All four made it home safely. When Art returned, he was finally able to finish high school. He was a senior when called into service.
This was not the first Blue Wahoos game for Art, or Joe and Lisa Klaus. They have been to the ballpark before.
“This place is unsurpassed really,” Joe Klaus said. “I’ve been to a lot of minor league ballparks, but this one is special.”
The same is true for what took place Friday with ceremonial first pitches by centenarians.