Who is Trevor Jarrett?

Trevor Jarrett after performing the National
Anthem, Aug. 25 at Visalia Rawhide.
Photo by Esther Avila

Last night while at a Visalia Rawhide baseball game, a former Porterville kid (who is no longer a kid) sang the National Anthem.

Sweet, little Trevor Jarrett, who I always remember as a little kid dressing up in cute red-white-and-blue outfits and singing and dancing to everything from Yankee Doodle to God Bless America. He was one of those kids I simply just loved. Back then he performed with his brother, Tyler. (Their mom, Linda, is pretty special too - love that lady.)

I remember writing about Trevor when he performed at our annual 'City of Hope Spectacular,' when he auditioned, and made it, to Star Search in Hollywood. I also wrote about his performances at the Porterville Fair, the Tulare County Fair and I was in the audience when he won an Hosscar Award for best male juvenile in 'The Music Man' at The Porterville Barn Theatre. The Hosscars are Porterville's version of the Oscars.

But as I went through some of my newspaper story archives - I found so much more - Trevor performing at the Fourth of July Firework festivities and other local street/community festivals. It was no surprise that he won first place, child division, during Porterville's version of Star Search. Unfortunately, a server crash at work in 2004 lost most of our archives - stories written prior to 2004.

One story still touches me. I wrote about his fundraising for Hurricane Katrina victims. I had the privilege of following him, and his brother, Tyler, to present buckets of money they had collected to two families displaced by the hurricane who had relocated to Porterville. I still remember watching the families cry as they accepted it and hugging the young boys. It was a very touching journalism moment for me and one I will never forget.

Trevor Jarrett performing at the 2005 Tulare County Fair
Porterville Recorder File Photo

That year - 2005 - Trevor was all set for an 'Elvis' act at the Tulare County Fair. He had the white jumpsuit and the black wig. But after the Katrina Hurricane, his heart told him he needed to do something else.

"When I heard about the hurricane, I knew I wanted to do something different. I wanted to [sing] songs that meant something to the people affected by the hurricane," Trevor had said during my interview with him in 2005. "We set a goal of raising $1,000 and I don't know if we'll get it but we're just going to keep going and collect as much as we can."

Trevor dressed in his blue-sequined vest, white shirt and black tuxedo slacks and opened with an amazing "Bridge Over Troubled Water" - the dollar bills started flowing into collection buckets.

Just remembering all this makes me love that kid more. He was and remains to be, pretty amazing.

It wasn't his first benefit either - following the 2001 terrorist attacks, Trevor's Frank Sinatra 'New York New York' performance raised $5,000 which he presented to then New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

I could go on and on about Trevor Jarrett - he's just one of those kids you meet and don't forget and one I will always have a hug for - no matter how old he gets.

For fun - here are some links to just a handful of stories I've written about, or mention, him.

http://www.recorderonline.com/news/hope-10878-city-shaffer.html

http://www.recorderonline.com/news/audience-18853-city-hope.html

http://www.recorderonline.com/news/trevor-26847-hurricane-wanted.html

http://www.recorderonline.com/news/fire-20389-porterville-firefighters.html

http://www.recorderonline.com/news/best-28691-music-male.html

http://www.recorderonline.com/news/festival-12822-street-porterville.html

WORLD SERIES: Rockies pitchers Jeff Francis and Ubaldo Jimenez and my daughters

It is so exciting to watch baseball when your boys are playing - and I mean that literally. The great thing about minor league baseball is that you get to know the players before they disappear into the big leagues .

Jeff Francis with my daughter Jennifer / May 2003
Jeff Francis with my daughter Catherine / August 2003


Sometimes, as in Jeff Francis' case, they are here only for a little while. Other times they stay for a couple of seasons before we have to say goodbye.

But because I was an active member in the Visalia Oaks Booster Club since 1998 (six years as secretary and board member, wrote mission statement) we knew our boys very well.

In fact, several of them have eaten in our home. And Jeff Francis' family (Uncle) used to invite my children and I to their home in British Columbia. Now it is so exciting to see Jeff Francis pitching the first game of the World Series - needless to say I am cheering for the Colorado Rockies!

Jeff Francis is not the only one - we have several - FIVE - former players -- representing our Visalia Oaks in the World Series.

In the National League - left-hander Jeff Francis (2003) is starting - impressive - he only stayed in Single A one season and quickly moved up - making it to the majors for a cup of coffee his second season - eventually staying there for good. Now he's their No. 1 pitcher. He has been outstanding in his two post-season starts, boasting a 2-0 record and a 2.13 ERA. Jeff has had unbelievable control, striking out 12 and walking just 3 in 12.2 innings.

The Rockies second starter is also someone we know - Ubaldo Jimenez (2003-2004) - and he is just as impressive as Jeff Francis. He has a quick fastball and a 1.59 ERA. Ubaldo has plenty of "swings and misses" - striking out 11 in 11 1/2 innings.

Ryan Speier (2003) has yet to give up an earned run in the 2007 postseason. He has collected one save in two outings and has given up one hit and no walks in 2.1 innings pitched.

Rockies outfielders Ryan Spilborghs (2004) -- batting .300 through five of seven games, scoring three times, and has an on-base percentage upwards of .450
and Jeff Baker (2004) batting .667 (2 for 3) and has one RBI

sidenote: When the Rockies played the Diamondbacks in the playoffs - I got to see three more Oaks players there -- Justin Upton(2007 Oaks player - imagine going from Single A to the majors in the same year) Jeff Salazar (2003-2004 Oaks player) and Eric Byrnes (1998 Oaks
player)


Jeff offers advice on how to hold and throw a baseball correctly











Jeff Francis watches Jennifer pitch







Jeff Francis pitching to Jennifer








Jennifer at bat - Jeff Francis pitches to her






(all photos by Esther Avila)

Ubaldo Jimenez with Catherine and Jennifer, 2003

Game called off

I knew before I got there that more than likely, there would be no game tonight. But, heck, I'm a true die-hard fan and rain or shine, I had to be there for opening day.

I quickly found all of my extended baseball family and after hugging half a dozen people and catching up on what everyone has been doing -- everyone started talking about the rain.

It had stopped raining for a couple of hours prior to game time. The sky even looked blue -- but, oh, those black clouds in the distance.... they did not look good. And just as the game was about to start, they came in - with full force, dropping giant drops of water that eventually went down to a heavy sprinkle.

No one really cared. We laughed and we talked and I ordered a hotdog and a water -- just to say that I did it. I've not missed an opening game in seven years.

Alas, the game was called and we all said our goodbyes. We'll try again tomorrow - maybe a double header.

Baseball and Rain

Baseball starts today. I love baseball!

I've been a ticket season-holder for Visalia Oaks for seven years. (and board member and secretary of the booster club for six years)

But it has rained off and on (sometimes poured) all day long. Will the game be canceled? I certainly hope not! I am sure that they are tired of me calling the office every two hours, trying to disguise my voice, asking if the game has been called off.

So far, so good.

The game starts in two hours. The clouds are dark but it is not raining at the moment-

Please - please --- no rain tonight. It is not that I don't like it, I just love baseball more.

I always loved the rain. I have so many fond memories about it -- starting with memories about my father. He was blind and never saw me. But he loved the rain. He loved the way it smelled. He loved the way it sounded - the splish splash on puddles and the ting tang sounds on metal or car tops. I must have inherited that love of rain from him.

I loved being outside on rainy days - umbrella in one hand. I would splash in every puddle I could find. But I was so skinny that on windy days, the wind would literally pick me up, or more often than not, knock me over. Still, I longed for rainy days - which were few and far between.

To this day, I love rain. This year has been great. The only reason I wish it would stop is because of the flooding it has caused. We have had nine or so different counties in the area (including mine) declared national disaster areas due to flooding.
(*actual opening day was Thursday - but this didn't go online till Friday.)

Saying Goodbye

I had lunch with my best friend today. We meet occasionally for coffee or for lunch - always hitting unique little places or interesting sounding restaurants.

Today we went to a little Mediterranean place. We had humus and Tabouli salad and gyros.
And then, he decided to tell me -- he's moving to Sacramento -- next month! Huh? "What do you mean - you're moving away?" I just sat there for a moment, trying to absorb what he said. His mother is elderly and needs him. (I can certainly understand that.) But it was still sad.

This guy is my baseball buddy. There has never been anything else. Just friendship. He loves my girls and we've known him for years and years. We always meet at the Oaks baseball home games and often travel to some of the away games together. We go out for icecream in the summer and hot chocolate in the winter.

Baseball starts in two weeks - it just won't be the same without him.
Michael is like family. I can't believe I'm losing him.

I'll miss you Michael!