Padres fans enter Petco Park before a home game against the Diamondbacks to watch the induction of Trevor Hoffman into the baseball Hall of Fame live on the big videoboard.
Trevor Hoffman was inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame today. I headed down to Petco Park before the early afternoon game to watch the induction ceremony in Cooperstown live on the big Petco Park videoboard.
As game time approached, more and more fans filled the seats. All eyes were watching the live ceremony. Then Trevor took to the podium to accept the highest honor in all of baseball.
It was Trevor Time once again!
Trevor spoke many moving words during his speech. He remembered and thanked his family and his past teammates. He honored members of the Padres family who have passed into history, including Tony Gwynn and Jerry Coleman. He thanked the military, an important part of our city, and reminded all that freedom is not free. He closed by telling his sons that character is more important than reputation.
Thank you Trevor, not only for being a Padres baseball hero, but for being a hero for all of San Diego.
Another beautiful, sunny day in San Diego at Petco Park. Today is particularly special.San Diego Padres legendary closer Trevor Hoffman is inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame on July 29, 2018.Six great MLB players form the Class of 2018 at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.Cooperstown, New York is home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.Trevor Hoffman, who spent his record-breaking career as closing pitcher for the San Diego Padres, is part of the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018.As Hoffman is introduced during the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, video is shown of Padres fans holding a banner proclaiming Trevor Time.The MLB Network live feed on the Petco Park videoboard shows Trevor Hoffman shortly before he gives his speech at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony.The determined eyes of the Major League Baseball pitcher who was first to achieve 500 and 600 saves.Footage shows Trevor during a game with his Padres teammates on the field.Trevor doffs his cap to his San Diego fans as he achieves a baseball pitching milestone.The face of Trevor William Hoffman immortalized in bronze at the National Baseball Hall of Fame.Trevor Hoffman, master of a mystifying change-up, became the first pitcher to reach the 500 and 600 save milestones.Trevor Hoffman poses during the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, with other legendary baseball players all around him.It’s Trevor Time one more time at Petco Park!Thanks for the memories Hoffy.Trevor begins his acceptance speech. He thanks his dad and mom.He addresses his brothers, who are watching the ceremony at Cooperstown.Padres fans enter Petco Park as an historic event occurs on the other side of the country.Trevor Hoffman thanks his old manager Bruce Bochy, and his past teammates. Those teams had great chemistry–a special bond.Trevor thanks his wife.Fans applaud Trevor.Another day, another game of wonderful baseball. Young and old now fill the Park at the Park beyond the outfield.Trevor is honored on the video board in the Park at the Park.Meanwhile, kids who might not know who Trevor is simply love playing baseball.My soda cup with Trevor Hoffman’s impressive baseball achievements.The game will soon start. Trevor’s induction speech is repeated on video screens throughout Petco Park.I saw many Hoffman jerseys.Trevor Time has returned to Petco Park on a summer’s day in 2018.Fans were posing by some new Trevor Hoffman Hall of Fame graphics on a wall along the Petco Park concourse.Trevor graphics ascend the side of an escalator.Hoffman jerseys were a hot item today.Trevor Hoffman’s plaque in the Breitbard Hall of Fame. A sports legend who made San Diego his home, among many other world-class athletes.Historic photos of Trevor Hoffman in the Padres Hall of Fame at Petco Park. When he achieved his 479th save, he surpassed Lee Smith as Major League Baseball’s all-time saves leader.A boy looks up at a Trevor Hoffman jersey in the Padres Hall of Fame.The smile of Trevor Hoffman.The smile of a San Diego baseball hero.
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I happened upon a few notable names during a walk through Mount Hope Cemetery. I had over an hour before the Memorial Day ceremony would begin, so I just wandered down winding roads through fields of headstones.
Many early residents of San Diego are buried at Mount Hope. Among the jumble of names engraved in stone, one can find some of the city’s most influential citizens. Like Alonzo Horton, Kate Sessions, George Marston, Thomas Whaley, Ah Quin, E. S. Babcock, and Robert Waterman. (Not to mention the famous author Raymond Chandler!) But I didn’t have a map. So I just meandered through the hilly cemetery and gazed.
Thousands of gravestones.
Every life different. Every life important in its own way.
Some of the dates indicate long lives, others short. But isn’t it true that all of our lives are short?
Someone asked about my visit–if the cemetery felt spooky. No. The best word that comes to mind is bittersweet. A feeling of both joy and sadness.
Every single name has become a part of San Diego history.
(I did a bit of research for this blog post. Hopefully I got the following information right. If not, leave a comment!)
George James Keating
George James Keating was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1840. He and his wife Fannie, owners of a farming company, eventually moved to San Diego in 1886. Keating made large investments in the city’s booming real estate market. After his death, Fannie oversaw the construction of the five-story Keating Building, which I blogged about several years ago here.
Graves of the Marston family.George White Marston
George W. Marston was often referred to as “San Diego’s First Citizen.”
A successful department store owner, he founded the San Diego Historical Society and was a prominent advocate for and planner of Balboa Park. He was a critical force in the establishment of the San Diego Public Library System and Presidio Park.
You can see a sculpture of George Marston on my blog here, and the garden of his beautiful, historic house, which is located in the northwest corner of Balboa Park, here.
George F. Stockton
Lt. George F. Stockton’s tragic drowning on August 21, 1921 prompted the creation of the City of Oceanside Lifeguard Service. He was pulled out to sea by a rip current. He had served on the World War I ship USS San Diego.
Edward McGurck
Col. Edward McGurck was born in Ireland. He purchased property on the northeast corner of Fifth Avenue and Market Street in 1876 for $50. In 1887 he developed the McGurck Block Building at that location.
Monument to the Kurtz family.Daniel Brower Kurtz
Daniel Brower Kurtz has an important San Diego street named after him. He arrived in San Diego in 1850 and was elected second city mayor in 1851. He also served as a state senator, county judge, and assemblyman.
James Edward Friend
James Edward Friend was an enterprising reporter and newspaper publisher in the early days of San Diego.
Seeing his name brought a smile to my face. He was a good friend of Bum, San Diego’s Town Dog, and figured prominently in the wonderful book titled The Dog That Belonged to No One. Any young person living in San Diego should read this short book. It’s quite enjoyable, full of history and good humor.
Captain James Friend was also known as a friend and benefactor to San Diego’s newsboys.
You can read about Bum, San Diego’s lovable Town Dog, and see his sculpture in my blog post here.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to share and enjoy!
A broken chain at the Maritime Museum of San Diego.
These photos taken at the Maritime Museum of San Diego tell a story. It’s that never-ending tale of human struggle against the elements.
Rope and chain. Ancient inventions.A tale of human struggle against the elements.Waiting for an outstretched hand, a critical moment.An anchor above calm water.Instruments of control in a stormy world. Rope, chain and anchor.Life clings to chains. Rust devours chains.A strained connection.Necessary chains. Rusty chains large and small.Human endeavor.Ropes cast aside, perhaps hurriedly.Ordered ropes, to harness gusts above.New strength.Bent steel, neat coils, in a tangle of untouchable dark shadows.Worm, Parcel and Serve! A never-ending story of human ambition, battling water, sun, salt and wind.Tarring at the museum.New bonds, prepared.A strange sculpture, or a potent symbol.A wrestle.
This is a story of struggle with many pages. The unconquerable antagonist in every chapter is Time.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
I wrote a guest post for the website Mostly Blogging! My article concerns blogging (and writing) with passion and personality. You might enjoy reading it by clicking here!
And while you’re at it, check out their cool website, which covers how to become a successful blogger! It’s got lots of great info and a whole bunch of nice people, too!
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Conceptual art displayed by County of San Diego Supervisor Ron Roberts at CityFest shows proposed aerial skyway from downtown to Balboa Park.
I just got back from walking through CityFest in Hillcrest. Lots of cool pics are coming! But first, I saw some conceptual artwork being displayed by San Diego County Supervisor Ron Roberts that has renewed my enthusiasm for a proposed transportation project.
The proposal, which I read about months ago, is for an aerial tramway, or skyway, which would connect downtown San Diego to Balboa Park. It’s an idea that’s both visionary and practical!
San Diego is an extremely popular tourist destination. There are many great things to see, including beautiful, amazing, enormous Balboa Park. Balboa Park, over a mile (to its center) from downtown, is often said to be one of the two best urban parks in America, along with New York City’s Central Park. But there’s one problem. If you don’t have a rental car, you must reach it on foot, by rented bicycle, taxi, or by city or tour bus. For some tourists this might be impractical, too time consuming, or unappealing. A skyway linking downtown’s many hotels, attractions and convenient trolley network to Balboa Park, I believe, would be wildly successful.
Can you imagine all the folks who work in offices downtown, easily heading up to Balboa Park during lunchtime? Can you imagine how visually unique and appealing such a project, tastefully designed, might be? Forget a Ferris wheel or tower on the waterfront, I say. That’s been done elsewhere. Let’s create something that’s both fun and extremely useful!
Living atop Cortez Hill, directly between downtown and Balboa Park, I can’t tell you how often I’ve given directions to lost San Diego visitors. They drive north only to reach a dead end at Tweet Street Park. They have to navigate confusing one way streets to find their way across Interstate 5, then figure out how to enter Balboa Park and locate a parking place. An aerial tram would help solve that problem, as well!
According to some literature I picked up from Ron Roberts, the San Diego Bay to Balboa Park Skyway, powered by a 500 horsepower electric engine, could carry up to 2400 people per hour.
The views of downtown, San Diego Bay and Balboa Park would be breathtaking. The ride itself would almost certainly become one of San Diego’s top tourist attractions.
From what I’ve heard so far, the idea is awesome!
The cool San Diego Bay to Balboa Park Skyway would travel from the Gaslamp up Sixth Avenue, covering two miles in 12 minutes.
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Mickey hands greet runners at the 2015 San Diego Rock ‘n Roll Marathon.
This morning I headed down through East Village to view the finish of the San Diego Rock ‘n Roll Half Marathon. I was rooting for our local running legend Mebrahtom “Meb” Keflezighi, who many years ago went to San Diego High School about a mile from where I live. At 40 years old he’s one of the greatest long distance runners on planet Earth! He was running the half marathon this time. For 2015, United States Track & Field chose this popular San Diego race to be the home of its Masters Half Marathon National Championships.
As I headed over to Park Boulevard and then wound my way south, I saw that the marathoners were well underway. At about the 4 mile mark, their course curled through downtown before heading back up north. Both the full and half marathons ended near Petco Park, and I eventually planted myself one block short of the finish line, at the corner of 13th and J Street. Would Meb win?
Please enjoy some cool photos!
Marathon participants at the mile 4 marker, racing through downtown San Diego.Someone is holding up a big Meb face!Many flags, signs and costumes were seen all along the race course.Less than a mile from the finish line, no runners have arrived yet.The runners will be crossing this cool Rock ‘n Roll Marathon graphic on 13th Avenue.Some photographers sit idle, waiting for the race to come their way.LUCK is created in the mind. A crowd has begun to gather not far from the finish line.One block from the finish, and the half marathon runners should be here in a couple minutes!Here come Meb Keflezighi and Jordan Chipangama side-by-side! Who will win?The top half marathon runners are now arriving on this cloudy San Diego morning.Faces contain strain, determination and elation as the finish line nears.Meanwhile, flowers are being sold to onlookers beside the race route.Here come more runners. Is it the top women’s finisher?It’s the women’s half marathon winner, Eri Hayakawa!Many triumphant faces at the 2015 San Diego Rock ‘n Roll runs!
The winner of the men’s half marathon, with a final burst of speed, was Jordan Chipangama at 01:02:24. Meb Keflezighi came in second at 01:02:26, just two seconds behind!
The women’s half marathon winner was Eri Hayakawa at 01:10:47.
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While wandering about San Diego taking photos for my blog, I’ve often been privileged to see school students doing really amazing things. From the very young to the college-aged, youth in San Diego are accomplishing more than just learning. They’re creating public art, publishing amazing work, beautifying the community, becoming champions, serving neighbors and people around the world, and working to build a brighter future.
Here are some past blog posts that provide inspiration.
