Rockies plan touching tribute
By Jack Etkin, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published April 3, 2008 at 9:21 p.m.
Before the Rockies start their home season today, there will be a poignant moment and a touch of sadness.
The ceremonial first pitch will be thrown by Kaige Kennedy, who is 16 months old and the son of the late Joe Kennedy, a former Rockies pitcher. Todd Helton, a close friend of Kennedy and his widow, Jami, will accompany Kaige on the field.
Kennedy, who pitched for the Rockies in 2004 and 2005, was 28 when he died Nov. 23 of hypertensive heart disease.
Also before the Rockies play the Arizona Diamondbacks, the national anthem will be performed by the Air Force Academy Choir and God Bless America will be sung by Master Sgt. Mark Israel.
The home opener will be preceded by the usual pageantry of balloons released in the outfield, streamers wafting down from the upper deck and fireworks. After the national anthem, F-18 jets from the Colorado Air National Guard 120th Fighter Squadron Red Eyes will fly over Coors Field.
The pregame highlight Saturday will be the unveiling of the 2007 National League pennant, which the Rockies won with a historic sprint that included 21 wins in 22 games. The Rockies aren’t saying where the banner will fly, preferring an element of surprise.
Regardless, the pennant instantly will become a Coors Field fixture and a point of pride for the organization and its fans. In that sense, the pennant will differ markedly from the forced display of triumph after the Rockies’ only other appearance in the postseason in 1995 — a flag painted on the wall in left field and marked “Wild Card Champions.”
That flag stood for years until manager Clint Hurdle insisted it be removed. By contrast, the NL pennant will be a permanent symbol of a lofty achievement. The first 10,000 fans in attendance Saturday will receive a replica NL championship pennant.
NL championship rings will be presented Sunday to Rockies players and coaches, and the first 15,000 fans will receive a baseball cap denoting the Rockies as league champions.
Post your comment
Registration is required. Click here to create your free user account, or login below.
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.
Featured
-
DPS improvements
This interactive shows you how schools will benefit under the bond proposal.
-
2008 Voter’s Guide
Use our Ballot Builder tool to compare your viewpoints to the candidates.
-
Rocky Multimedia
The news comes alive in our videos and slide shows. Catch up on today's events.
-
Bronco Dean's rant
Listen to Bronco Dean's totally biased postgame rant about the Broncos-Jaguars game.
-
A Dozen on Denver
Manuel Ramos' story is featured this week on 'A Dozen on Denver.' Check it out!
-
Peak Picks
Submit your fall foliage photos to our contest and vote on other submissions.
-
Presidential Elections
See how Colorado counties have voted through the years.
-
County election profiles
A look at how residents in each Colorado county may vote.
-
A dream fulfilled
A Rocky Mountain News and MediaStorm production
April 4, 2008
9:11 a.m.
Suggest removal
The_Punnisher writes:
Fly the banner atop the QWEST building.....
That would be better PR than the Blue Beacon that you could see from Boulder....
April 4, 2008
9:13 a.m.
Suggest removal
DJV writes:
There is a typo with regard to the flyover. The Colorado Air National Guard flies the F-16 and not the F-18. The F-18 is the U.S. Navy's strike fighter aircraft.
April 4, 2008
9:27 a.m.
Suggest removal
BMat writes:
How does a 16 month old child throw out the first pitch?
April 4, 2008
11:54 a.m.
Suggest removal
rsmarg writes:
"How does a 16 month old child throw out the first pitch?" People can do extraordinary things when Todd Helton is in their presence. His power radiates. Bill Hanzlik had similar powers, but it only worked on animals. Nonetheless, I saw it work when his 3-legged dog was able to pull a kid from a well surrounded by a forest fire. Remember when that geek that used to hang out with Tony Lilly got that super-hot chick? Same thing. Amazing stuff.
April 4, 2008
12:06 p.m.
Suggest removal
The_Punnisher writes:
" How does a 16 month old child throw out the first pitch? "
BADLY!
*******
When I first saw the headlines, I thought this story was about the Deputies and the " touching " incident at the Jail....
Oops, my bad....>:-)
April 6, 2008
12:41 a.m.
Suggest removal
rufinsore writes:
Sgt. Mark Israel plays "God Bless America" on the trumpet. He does not sing it. He has been doing this for a few years, particularily on Sundays.