It was the Past vs. Present.
On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, a large crowd gathered at Skip Rowland Field for the annual Wilson High alumni baseball game.
“It was a great turn out,” longtime Wilson baseball coach Andy Hall said. “It validates why you do this. It was a cool walk down memory lane.”
Featuring members of the 2007 national championship team including current New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks, the alumni came out victorious, 8-4.
But Hicks wasn’t the only current big leaguer who played for the alumni team. Chicago Cubs reliever Tommy Nance also took a few cuts in the batter’s box, but didn’t pitch.
Hall said some alumni came into town from the East Coast just for the game and when he sent a text to Hicks about it a few weeks ago, Hicks responded within minutes he would play.
The alumni team also had some members from the 1980s classes and the squad had over 20 players. Other Wilson legends like Bobby Grich, Jeff and Sean Burroughs, Ed Crosby, Gabe Gonzalez and more returned to Skip Rowland Field to support the program.
“Some years you have just enough guys and don’t know who will show up,” Hall said. “Today was neat with so many faces.”
Hall said Elliot Glynn’s family were just as excited to watch him pitch in the alumni game as they were when he pitched at Dodger Stadium in the 2007 CIF Championship when the Bruins beat Canyon, 5-1. Glynn threw a complete game in that victory.
Bruins senior Charlie Royle, who started the game on the mound, said he was a little imitated to face Hicks.
“Looking up and seeing 50 cameras pointed directly at me didn't make it any easier,” said Royle, who is signed with Cal Poly. “It was still super fun to face a guy of that caliber and hopefully it won't be the last.”
Royle got ahead of the count but Hicks walked in his first at-bat.
“I didn’t want to throw him a fastball because it might go to 7th street.”
