Baseball is more than just a game at San Quentin 'Field of Dreams'
Baseball game at San Quentin's 'Field of Dreams'
A unique baseball game was played at San Quentin's 'Field of Dreams'
SAN QUENTIN, Calif. - San Quentin's baseball team has been a prison yard institution for 123 seasons, but this year something happened for the first time.
On a crisp, unusually clear Friday morning in San Quentin, 16 men, all formerly incarcerated at one of the most well-known prisons along the San Francisco Bay, returned to the "San Quentin Field of Dreams" for the first time since being released for the first alumni baseball game.
"The only place I would prefer to play would be the field of dreams," said Justin Rose, who was arrested at 17 and tried as an adult.
Now free, he said playing baseball at San Quentin was an escape.
Rose and others understand that for players donning the black jersey with the letters "SQ" printed in orange on their chest – in a striking resemblance to the San Francisco Giants logo -- there's an irony in this game.
Baseball, the sport most started playing as innocent kids on playgrounds, now takes on a deeper meaning as men in a prison yard.
No one feels it more than Anthony Denard.
Denard, an Oakland native, grew up playing T-ball. His dream was to play in the Major Leagues, and he got pretty close.
He was drafted by the Minnesota Twins straight out of high school.
"I picked up the phone, found out it was Darren Johnson with the Minnesota Twins," Denard said. "He told me I'd been drafted over there by them. It's an exciting feeling. It's something that I had worked hard for, but I ended up coming to prison."
San Quentin hosts first ever alumni baseball game
A group of men formerly incarcerated at San Quentin returned to go head to head on the baseball field with men who are currently incarcerated.
Denard was sentenced to 19 years to life in prison for second-degree murder. He has served 25 years.
Because he is still behind bars, Denard will likely never play in the big leagues or earn a Major League paycheck.
But the yard at San Quentin allowed him to do what he thought was gone forever– play baseball.
"Baseball has been an integral part of my life," Denard said. "Not only did it teach me discipline, but it shows you how to win and how to lose."
The opportunity to play against his former teammates who have made it out of prison has given him hope that someday he’ll be free.
The alumni game has been a work in progress for years.
The morning of the game, he told KTVU he thought the likelihood of the game happening was slim, but was pleasantly surprised to see it on the schedule.
"The first thing that went through my mind was it's never gonna' happen," Denard said. "When it was on schedule to play, I was very excited."
Brandon Terrell was released from San Quentin on Sept. 9, 2022.
Since then, he’s been pitching the idea of the alumni game.
He knew gathering 15 of his former prison yard teammates to return would give others on the inside hope.
San Quentin Warden Chance Andes agreed.
"I've been with the department of corrections for 23 years. I know what sports does," he said. "It’s a time of peace. Violence is reduced because these guys don't want to sacrifice this."
On some levels, the baseball field is no different from any other dirt diamond.
But, if you look up, the differences are strikingly obvious.
There's a 16-foot wall behind the outfield, lined with barbed wire.
Above the first baseline stands an armed guard.
And at this alumni baseball game, the men embraced each other. It was an afternoon full of hugs, reunions and smiles, between the incarcerated men, and those who are now finally living out in the real world.
But make no mistake, there was no shortage of competitiveness.
In fact, the San Quentin Giants beat the alumni 17-5.