Luis González to throw first pitch at 10^th annual Latino Scholarship Day with the Toledo Mud Hens
By Kevin Milliken for La Prensa

Luis González will throw out the first pitch at the annual Latino Scholarship Day at the Toledo Mud Hens game on Sunday, July 22, 2012.

No, not that Luis González -- the retired Cuban-American outfielder who played for the Arizona Diamondbacks who gained fame for getting the game-winning hit in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series.
 

But he is another well-known retiree. Yes, that Luis González, a 25-year deputy with the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office, who now resides in Genoa. The 53-year old Northwest Ohio native retired in 2009.
 

Luis González

The Spanish-American Organization (SAO) selected González (president of the Ohio chapter of the National Latino Police Officer’s Association). He still serves as a special deputy in Lucas and Ottawa County, called out when a migrant farmworker requires assistance—whether in need of a bilingual translator or some other situation.

González graduated from the University of Toledo in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in human resources. He also earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Terra Community College in Fremont.

“I’m very proud and excited,” González said of the honor.

But he’s also feeling a bit of pressure. González hails from a big family. His wife has a big family. So naturally, there’s been a lot of demand for tickets. He’ll throw out the first pitch in front of 40 to 50 relatives, as well as countless friends and fellow Latinos.

“I’m to make sure I don’t throw a ‘worm-burner’ and get it across the plate,” he joked, a reference to the countless embarrassing moments when a politician or public figure can’t even throw the ball far enough to reach home plate.

González is the father of seven and grandfather of three. His two youngest kids, 18 and 15, still live at home. But he also has six brothers and two sisters; and his wife comes from a family of eight. Add to that numerous in-laws, cousins, and significant others.

La Prensa reached González on his way home from his son’s wedding in Kansas—to practice in his backyard for the first-pitch ceremony.
 

“I have a rig set up in my yard and I paced it out at 60 feet, six inches,” he remarked about the length from the pitcher’s mound to home plate. “I have a tarp and a basket. That way I can make sure I make my throws from the right footage.”

The homemade contraption is designed to help his throwing accuracy as well as ensure the baseball won’t roll somewhere into the 30 open acres behind his property.

Since SAO and La Prensa co-sponsor the annual summertime scholarship fundraiser, a newspaper staff member also has been selected to throw out a ceremonial first pitch. 32-year old marketing/logistics specialist Adrianne Chasteen is warming up her arm, too.

“I guess I will be a little bit nervous, but I’ll give it my best,” said the former softball shortstop. “I think I’ll do all right. The arm is there. The arm is willing and ready.”

The mother of four lives in Millbury, so there may be a friendly rivalry with González. She just hopes she doesn’t make the retired sheriff’s deputy look bad.

Adrianne Chasteen

“I’m just going to focus, throw it as hard as I can and try to make it over the plate, said Ms. Chasteen, who intends to show the crowd that “throwing like a girl” is a good thing.

The game against the Indianapolis Indians Sunday begins at 6 p.m., but the gates will open an hour earlier for Latino Scholarship Day pre-game activities.

The Salvador Torres mariachi band from Detroit will perform for the crowd before the game as well as the dance troupe Ballet Folklorico Imagenes Mexicanas. The famous mariachi troupe is courtesy of El Camino Real restaurant and the Toledo Mud Hens. Yvonne Ramos will sing the national anthem. Kids also can run the bases following the game. There also will be a post-game fireworks display that evening.

Various Latino students will be recognized on the field prior to the game. Maestro Alberto Flores, who passed away recently, will also be fondly remembered.

A limited number of tickets are still available by calling 419.870.6565.

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Revised: 07/17/12 16:17:43 -0700.