Skydiver delivers baseball to new park for grand opening
By Betsy Avelar
Staff Writer
Gilroy – It’s not everyday one sees a skydiver jump out of a plane to deliver a baseball. But, Saturday morning, Jess Rodriguez flew through the sky and landed on the bright green patch for the grand opening of the new Gilroy Sports Park in south Gilroy. Those casting glances skyward did so squinting and blocking the sun from their eyes with their hands. Spectators oohhed and aahhed then clapped as the skydiver donning a United States flag parachute landed gracefully onto the grass.
“I just looked at him, and I wished it was me jumping out of that plane,” said Brian Delgado, Gilroy minor league baseball player. The little boy looked up at his father Juan Delgado who held an inflatable baseball bat, and asked him if he would give him permission to jump off a plane. His dad laughed.
It took nearly two decades of planning, meetings, delays and much effort from various groups to build the 79-acre sports park, Now it is open to the public.
More than 200 people attended the grand opening, and like Delgado there were many others from various sports teams with their parents, city officials and staff, and others from the community including vendors and sponsors.
“What we wanted was a celebration, and it is more exciting,” said recreation supervisor Gayle Glines who worked with the skydiver for the event. The idea of having someone jump out of a plane onto the green lawn of the sports park did not come from a city official or staff. Rodriguez heard about the grand opening and donated his services.
“I’ve always thought of offering – even the Gilroy Garlic Festival some sort of jump thing – but then I saw the new field, and thought this might be a good opportunity.” The night before, Rodriguez landed onto the Gilroy High School football prior to the school’s homecoming game.
Rodriguez, owner of Skydive Monterey Bay and a Gilroy resident, holds a world record with 300 others in making the largest formation over Chicago. The 52-year-old has made more than 12,000 jumps for events and air shows.
“I live here, and I want to support this community,” he said.
After Rodriguez landed, Chris Gimenez, a professional minor league catcher for the Cleveland Indians, walked up to greet him and receive the plastic wrapped baseball for the ceremonial first pitch. Before the pitch, the flag salute and the national anthem was followed by the guest speakers and the ribbon cutting.
Mayor Al Pinheiro was the first guest speaker.
“We’re just beginning because there is a lot more to this beautiful park to come,” he said. And, he added, the sports park is just one piece of a giant city puzzle.
“It’s up to us to put these pieces together,” he said, referring to the downtown, Santa Teresa Boulevard and the sports park. He then concluded with his wishes for the project.
“All I ask of you is that we all work together and keep the future in mind,” and the future entails more phases to complete this project. Future plans call for extending west into bell pepper fields bordering Uvas Creek, eight softball fields will be added to this park, and possibly a BMX dirt bike facility as well as tie-in’s with the city’s trail and bike system. The estimated cost for the sports park project is more than $23 million for all phases.
The Santa Clara Valley Water District played an important part in bringing the park to life. Recycled water pipelines were extended along Monterey from the existing main to the sports park to supply irrigation water that cost them $460,000.
“These fields will use a lot of the recycled water which is valuable for us because we don’t have to use drinking water,” said guest speaker Rosemary Kamei, a board member for the Santa Clara Valley Water District. The district also provides recycled water to the golf course in Eagle Ridge.
After the speakers, the ribbon was cut and many headed out to the field to watch Frank LaCorte, former pitcher for the Houston Astros and GHS graduate, pitch to Gimenez. The first ceremonial pitch followed by a little league and youth soccer league demonstration concluded the ceremony.
For now, baseball player Delgado can enjoy the new park, but will have to wait until he’s 18 to jump out of a plane.
Betsy Avelar attends Gavilan College and is an intern for the South Valley Newspapers. Reach her at (408) 847-7216 or
ba*****@gi************.com
.
