The pointing at dad in the 6th row as he began his trot around the bases after blasting a game changing grand slam, a proud father with welled up eyes as tears rolled down his face, yes, as the father’s memories flashed before him. All those years of trudging down the baseball fields on Maui, becoming a volunteer coach, league officer, fundraiser, or a parent who felt obligated to do whatever it was to make the community better. The Victorinos are putting Hawaii again on the baseball map. Shane Victorino is just having a grand season.
Michael Victorino who left Hilo nearly 30 years ago to make a better life for him is living on cloud nine. A very busy worker. he’s been an Insurance agent, board of education reperesentative, and now councilman. Earlier in the season, he flew up to see Shane when they played against the Oakland Athletics with Kurt Suzuki catching. He could not miss two Maui boys doing it in Oakland. It wasn’t long ago when an Oahu team from Waipio shocked the little league world in capturing the coveted title of World Champion. Also the Junior Little league world runner up Hilo team garnered and upped Hawaii as a state with quality baseball players.
Benny Agbayani and Sid Fernandez were the last Hawaii impact players to take center stage in the World Series. Shane Victorino has shown that he plays with a passion for the game and has produced. The whole state is now watching with much interest. Sales of Victorino jerseys will now be soaring with young Hawaii kids wearing them proudly. The states MLB team will now be the Phillys akin to the state adopting the San Francisco 49ers in the 80’s when players with Hawaii ties Joe Montana, Jesse Sapolu, Dana Mclemore, and Verlon Redd lined up.
Maui Na Ka Oi as they say, yes indeed………
Thursday, October 16, 2008
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