Eugene Emeralds - baseball photography: 2009

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“Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.”

- Dr. Seuss
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Wow.

It's over. Done. Fini...

I find it amazing that I was so lucky as to be the one shooting the final days of the Eugene Emeralds at beautiful Civic Stadium.

Bryan Beban pretty much gives me free reign to shoot, only telling me when he needs specific shots. But at the end... my job was to shoot the stadium, the fans, the game of baseball at Civic... so I did. Wow. This first set is from Sept 2's game against the Salem-Keizer Volcanos. It's "pink night." The Ems (and the fans) wear pink in support of Susan G Komen for the Cure, an organization dedicated to fighting breast cancer.

The beauty of the evening is best described by my photos. Words can't say it better.

Bill, Jimmy and Rid

Bryan and Nate

Edinson Rincon (and Rid)

Tom Overley, previous Lens of the Ems

This is about "the children"

So long...

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“Happy trails to you, until we meet again.”

- Dale Evans Rogers

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- "Any time you have an opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don't, then you are wasting your time on Earth".”

- Roberto Clemente
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I was watching PBS last week and on their American Exerience program they were featuring a piece on Roberto Clemente. I certainly enjoy being educated. That was one fine program. I knew Clemente was an incredible ball player for the Pittsburg Pirates but wasn't really aware of his politics and humanitarian work. Plus the discrimination faced by blacks and Latins in pro ball was still significant. But what caught my ear was this:

"Clemente after baseball games [...] signed autographs till the last person had his baseball signed[...]"

... and it made me immediately think of Mitch Canham and this shot from 2007:

As the players come and go there are those few who always stand out and this scene of Mitch, standing alone signing autographs long after all his teammates had already hit the showers, made a strong impression on me. A touch of class. And a touch of class displayed by an earlier baseball great. Do you like the comparison Mitch? Now you just need to move to the outfield, get a tan and start speaking with a Puerto Rican accent... get 3,000 hits, win 2 World Series, get named to the All Star team 12 times and win the Golden Glove award 12 times. Plus... you need to devote your career earnings towards helping those in need... Mitch is a good kid and a great fan favorite and I hope his career goes well. As I do for all these young guys.

Going on my 3rd season as the Ems' photographer has definitely broadened my view of pro baseball. From being a little kid in Bakersfield attending the Bears' games with the family to my trips to Chavez Ravine to see the Dodgers or Anaheim Stadium to watch the Angels, I've loved baseball. I'm not a fan of big ticket prices and overpaid athletes. But the game... aaah, the game...

Here are a few pics from Opening Night: