Archives for October 2017

Semi-Pro basketball talents Josh Hatcher and Teohn Conner combined for 62 points on Sept. 23, in a 104-90 victory over the San Quentin Warriors.

Hatcher plays for the Oakland Bayhawks, a semi-pro team.

“Nate told me to come,” said Hatcher, who is with Mount Olive Christian Deliverance Center in Oakland. “I always want to be part of the people for the grace of God. I feel like God invited me.”

Conner used to play for the San Francisco Rumbles but now coaches a youth basketball team. His motto: Go hard.

“I try to do what I preach; go hard is my foundation,” Conner said. “If I’m giving it all I got, I consider that a win for me.”

Conner has the uncanny ability to drive through traffic and either finish in the paint or exercise the tenacity to grab his own rebounds and score. He gave the Warriors problems from the paint, behind the arc and from the free-throw line. His 32 points and 22 rebounds kept the Warriors in the rearview mirror until the third quarter.

Warriors guards stepped up in the absence of Harry “ATL” Smith. David Lee led his team with 21 points.

With the Warriors down 60-58, Lee nailed a three pointer.

Hatcher answered with an offensive-rebound put-back to retake the lead at 63-61, but Lee answered again with a floater.

Lee is good at driving to the rack or hitting outside shots from anywhere on the court.

New Warrior Kai Williams, a 21-year old, 5-foot-8 guard who won a Northern California National Champion with Berkeley High School, made his first shot from the field. It gave the Warriors another lead at 76-73 with 2:15 left in the third.

“This basketball program keeps me out of trouble, helps me work on the things I have to work on and to have fun,” said Williams.

Hatcher brought Imago within one with a one-handed jam. He finished with 30 points.

Conner took the lead back after rebounding his own missed shots twice. The third ended with Imago up 80-78.

In the fourth quarter, Imago jumped out 12 points ahead and the Warriors never caught up again.

Imago Steve Diekmann, who played for Grinnell College back when, scored 18 and guard Mike Kehrig added 17.

For the Warriors, Allan McIntosh dropped 19, Tyrrell Price, Sr., 12 and Andre “NBA” Belion, 10.

“We got lackadaisical at times and didn’t play basketball at times. We’re a good team but not a great team – we have to make the little things count,” Lee said.

The game marked the first back for Tony Thomas since Warrior Harry “ATL” Smith accidently broke his nose.

“I went for the strip, and he just happened to turn into me,” Thomas said about the basketball accident.

Steve “Big Red” Sanderson delivered a motivational message about the importance of gathering together.

“Do not give up meeting together,” said Sanderson, a pastor at Corner Stone Church. “We gather to encourage each other, lift each other up, learn each other’s lives and pray for each other.”

Thomas added, “We’re equally encouraged by you guys. Continue encouraging each other; if everyone does that, this world will be a better place.”

The San Quentin Kings basketball team battled back from a four-point deficit with 45 seconds on the clock to defeat the visiting Domiciliary Team.

“I’ve been playing basketball for 60 years, and these two games in prisons have been the best-spirited games I’ve ever been involved in,” said Joel Rosenthal, who retired after working 31 years in the Menlo Park Office of Veteran Affairs’ Domiciliary department, which helps veterans, including parolees, with housing issues.

Rosenthal, who coaches basketball, put together the Domiciliary team that included a couple of veterans. The Sept. 30 game marked the second time Rosenthal led his team into a prison for outreach. The first was in Chowchilla, where they won by 1 point in overtime. This time they blew a four-point lead by fouling two players as they made shots.

With 45 seconds left, the Kings fouled former U.S. Army prison guard Stephen Forester. He made both free-throws, which made his 11th point and put Domiciliary up 66-62.

King Demond Lewis got fouled while he scored, which left the Kings down 2. He missed the free-throw, but teammate D. “Zayd” Nickolson tipped the rebound into the hands of King Joshua Burton. He passed it to teammate Oris “Pep” Williams, who drove down the middle, pulled up mid court and made a floater as the defense fouled him.

He completed the And-one play to put his team up one with 11 seconds left.

“The game was on the line; we needed a bucket,” Williams, who led the Kings with 17 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and a steal, said. “That’s two wins in a row, and they were a good team.”

The Kings defense tied up the basketball, forcing a jump ball. The tip landed in the hands of Lewis, which ended any chance of a comeback.

The Veterans’ Group San Quentin opened the game by presenting the colors. They carried the United States flag and another that had the letters, “POW/MIA.”

“We still care about our country even though we’re in prison,” incarcerated veteran Gary Cooper said.

Assistant Kings Coach Orlando Harris welcomed the new team to San Quentin.

“We’re looking to have fun and welcome some new family,” Harris said. “Once you play here at San Quentin, you’re part of the family.”

Steve Fahrbach, a real-estate businessman, flew his son Tanner in from the University of Arizona for the experience.

“You have to make good decisions in life,” Fahrbach said. “I was stupid. I could have been here too.”

Harris introduced two Kings as veterans – Damon L. Cookë, Marine Corps, and Paul Oliver, Army Rangers.

“If we can show some humanity with people coming off the streets, why can’t the world do the same?” asked Cookë, who scored nine points with 10 rebounds.

Nic Newman, who led Domiciliary with 23 points, said, “Best basketball experience of my life. I’ve played high school. I coach high school ball, but this positive atmosphere, this is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Great experience, great game.”

In the season opener, the Diego Brothers softball team torched the San Quentin Hardtimers by 24 runs, but since then the Hardtimers improved. In their last match for the season on Sept. 22, the Diego Brothers won 21-17 after a last-inning Hardtimers rally fell short.

“The last two times we played them, we’ve been right there,” Hardtimer Ronnie J. Hill said.

The Diego Brothers bring top-notch players to San Quentin. They are the 2016 San Rafael Recreation Softball League Champions.

“You guys are competitive,” Diego Brother Captain Morgan said about the Hardtimers. He has been coming into San Quentin for about seven years to play softball.

Hardtimer Tamon Halfin said, “It means a lot that they’re taking time out of their busy schedules.”

Diego Brother John Tillman, who has the frame of a body builder, said, “I come in for two reasons: One, I love playing ball. Two, it keeps me humble. Thereby but for the grace of God – I got sober in 2002; I was on my way here.”

At the bottom of the 7th, the Hardtimers found themselves behind 19-11 with the game ending at the 8th inning, but they didn’t give up.

John “Dunnie” Windham smacked a solo homerun, his second homer of the game, to lead off the inning.

“This is my escape – the frustration, the stress, it’s all released when I play softball,” Windham said. “Not to mention the camaraderie. We get to meet some good brothers from off the streets. I’m still trying to kick their butts though.”

Halfin followed with an in-the-park homer to deep center, that made the score 19-13.

The Diego Brothers got out of the inning without giving up any more runs.

At the top of the eighth, Hardtimer Douglas Aubineau snagged a grounder and made the double play, making two outs for the Diego Brothers. However, Morgan smacked a homer using the bats provided by the Hardtimers, which he called inferior.

“We can’t bring in our good bats,” Morgan said. “These bats are as bad as they get.”

The Hardtimers gave up two runs and found themselves down 21-13 at the bottom of the eighth – their last at bats.

The Diego Brothers walked the first batter then Hill knocked a hard grounder down the third base line, past the glove of Ben Scott for a base hit.

With the bases loaded from an error, Brandon hit a double bringing in two runs, which made the score 21-15 with no outs.

David “Preacher” Dorsageo hit a sacrifice fly ball that made the score 21-16.

With two Hardtimers still on base, the Diego Brothers walked Windham.

The next batter hit a deep fly ball into right field and into the glove of James Schweddy. Two outs.

Halfin delivered with another hit that brought in one more run 21-17.

Then Aubineau made contact with the ball but got thrown out at first, which ended the softball game.

Soul Food Sunday’s Ikeem Meriwether, who played for the Diego Brothers, commented, “I think for a couple of hours, while playing ball, these guys feel free.”

The soccer program at San Quentin is becoming more than a weekly pick-up game played by prisoners; it’s attracting support and competition from beyond the prison’s walls.

Since June, the prisoner teams have consistently played games involving the non-incarcerated, with additional games scheduled for this month.

“It helps develop good citizenship and helps in the rehabilitative process”

The program that the prisoners envision is one similar to San Quentin baseball and basketball, which have weekly scheduled games with various outside teams.      

Gavin “JoJo” Robinson and Juan Carlos Meza, two prisoners who not only have a passion for the sport but who think it necessary for the general population to have a soccer program, are at the forefront of the program’s success thus far.

A bulk of their success comes from an Englishman, Andrew Crawford, who coaches high school soccer in East San Jose.

Crawford read an article in San Quentin News about supporting soccer in the prison. He met up with Don Smith, of Prison Sports Ministry, who has established basketball, softball and flag football at the prison. Smith trained Crawford as a soccer sponsor.

Crawford now brings in all the outside competition, including a professional team, the San Francisco Deltas Robinson added.     

“Andrew put us together. We all play throughout the city,” said Shant who played in a Sept. 17 match. 

“I’m the guy who stands in the background,” said Crawford in an after-the-game speech when the incarcerated expressed their appreciation to the outside players for their visit.

“I think a soccer program is necessary for people who grow up playing soccer,” Meza said. “It helps develop good citizenship and helps in the rehabilitative process.”

Sports, like other activities inside a prison, are a temporary escape from a monotonous prison life. Sports can also be a way in which a prisoner feels connected to a community that’s depending on his or her performance.

For Brandon Hidalgo, a Mexican native and resident of the prison, soccer is liberating. “I don’t feel like I’m in prison,” he said.

“I hope that this continues [referring to the outside competition] and that soccer gets more expansive,” said Robinson, who grew up playing the sport and who has been at San Quentin for more than a decade. 

The program’s recent success has raised certain questions for many of the prison’s players, such as: who gets to play and who makes that decision? Since there are no organized practices, whoever shows up for a match that involves outside competition can get some playing time. At least that is how it has been for the month of September. 

As the program continues to move forward, a body cap is certain since Meza and Robinson want to bring soccer to the level of the SQ Giants and SQ Warriors. For now, the incarcerated men who feel at home on the field continue to enjoy the competition and camaraderie with their visitors.

Years ago, Aaron “Showtime” Taylor stood on the sidelines of a prison basketball game and started doing play-by-play a cappella. Now he has co-host Damon L. Cookë , a support crew, and he uses audio equipment borrowed from the state. Plus, this year, he commentated on the Golden State Warriors community basketball game with guest-host After the Game Commentator Larry Beil and Golden State Center JaVale McGee.

“Sitting there with Larry Beil in a sense is like sitting at the desk on Sports Center or After the Game,” the 51-year-old Taylor said. “The only difference is he came into my house and after the butterflies, he fell into the guest speaker spot like the professional that he is, sitting between me and Damon L. Cookë, the Sage of SQ. It was like three pros were up there. I couldn’t be more humbled, excited and thankful he came in to be a part of that.”

Taylor has become a fixture at big sporting events at San Quentin, like when the Pacifics Independent Pro baseball team played the SQ All-Stars and the annual community basketball games. However, the Sept. 15 game, in which San Quentin Warriors’ team beat its cross-Bay namesakes, marked a significant step in Taylor’s career.

Before several media outlets, including ABC, ESPN, The Athletic, The San Francisco Chronicle, Life of the Law and others, Taylor showed he’s ready for the pros.

“I couldn’t be more impressed with what he did that day,” Vic Stauffer, president of the Pittsburg Diamonds pro independent baseball team, said. Stauffer acted as referee for the game. “I got a job for him doing public address and play-by-play when he comes home. He’s pro ready.”

Taylor verbally led Beil and McGee through the prison sports world with the nicknames he gave players based on their attributes. “Fatality” he called SQ Warrior Cornell “Corn” Shields for his killer instinct at the rim. Shooting Guard Montrell Vines he tagged, “Pull-up Swish.” On the Golden State squad, he called assistant GM Kirk Lacob “Capt. Kirk” and GM Bob Myers he dubbed, “Big Money Bob.”

Beil said, “He’s (Taylor) is very experienced. He has a little flavor to his game.”

Just when the crowd thought nothing could top Beil co-hosting prison basketball, McGee took over for a little while.

“Larry Beil was a professional,” Taylor said. “He showed me what it’s like to go into an area you’ve never been to before, observe and call on all your professional skills and come back. McGee gave it that Amateur Night at the Apollo feel ̶ two different things but both cool.”

“He has a little flavor to his game”

Assisting Taylor were stats keepers Jack “Big Body Benz” Benford, Whitney “Whit” Jackson, Faheem “The Dream” Fuller, Edward “E” Moss, and his audio man Steve Pascascio.

“I can’t do what I do here without the Show Time Production Crew,” Taylor said.

Taylor also provided the audience with comical commercials and a rap song performed by Philippe Kelly.

As an alarm sounded, requiring all incarcerated people to take a seat, Taylor joked, “This alarm is brought to you by Get Down Productions; whenever you hear that buzzing sound, get your (butt) on the ground.”

For people from the community standing on a mainline prison yard for the first time, wondering what was going on, Taylor’s making light of the disturbance put the crowd at ease.

Taylor has served 22 years of a 50-years-to-life sentence under the Three-Strikes Law for attempted robbery and assault in the first degree. However, under recent law changes, Taylor may have a chance at parole in 2025 or even sooner. When the day comes, he hopes to go home to his wife from London and do play-by-play for NBA games.

“Adonal Foyle could easily get his job took,” Cookë said.

The San Quentin A’s premier players Anthony Denard and Branden Terrell whacked big homers to coast past the visiting Bay Area Barons 7-4, ending the season on a high-note.

“It’s all about patience, you have to wait on your pitch,” Denard said. “It took me two years to hit another home run.”

Denard’s solo home run flew over the left-field fence, deep into the Native Americans’ sweat lodge area, to close the Barons’ lead 3-2 in the third. Terrell’s two-run homer soared over the right-field fence in the fifth, bouncing off the education bungalows, to take the lead 5-3.

The Barons scored three quick runs in the first inning, including a homer from first-time visitor Zach Mandelblah, who smashed a fastball over the right-field fence. After that, the A’s defense and pitching clamped down for the remainder of the game. The Barons scored for the last time in the fifth.

“It feels good to have the outside people coming in and not just seeing us as inmates,” Denard said. “It’s a privilege to play this game here. It was a blessing to be transferred here for this program. The unity among the A’s and Giants (teams) was incredible.”

The baseball program experienced a few ups and downs during the course of the season because of some game cancellations and a shortage of bats.

“It was a very difficult season, every which way you can think of,” said Elliot Smith, volunteer sponsor. “However, we did have a season and any time you can play baseball in prison like this is a good thing.

“I thank all the volunteers, players and teams that came in. I look forward to having a successful season next year,” Smith continued.

Barons’ Anthony Gonzales said, “We have to remember this program is about humanity. San Quentin is a part of our society, too, and these guys are our neighbors. You just can’t turn your back on your neighbors. Through baseball these guys learn to deal with setbacks, communication skills, and to work as a team. We should take the time out of our lives and make contact through this game.”

Mandelblah added, “I grew up in a more affluent community and this gave me a chance to meet different people. This was a unique experience, plus I had a chance to play a game I love.”

A’s first-year Head Coach inmate Eddie Hollingsworth concluded, “It’s good to see convicts and outside people coming together to play a game we loved as kids. As a team we might have disagreed at times but we didn’t separate. Some of our players matured, some stayed neutral, and some just stayed the same, but the one thing they did do, they were always professional.”

In the 1000 Mile Three Hour Race, Markelle Taylor took first, and San Quentin News staffers Eddie Herena and Jonathan Chiu took second and third.

Chiu surprised many people, including himself, by taking third place ahead of Chris Scull.

“It’s all thanks to Tommy and Steve and our Sunday pacing runs,” Chiu said.

Herena and Scull battled over second and third, but Scull dropped out of the race after completing 18-1/2 miles while Herena continued on to finish 21-7/8 miles.

“It wasn’t my day; it wasn’t my race, but I’ll be there for the marathon,” Scull said. “Eddie, watch out.”

Chiu, at 5-foot-5 and 130 pounds, worked his legs like a choo-choo. He placed ahead of his training partners, Tommy Wickerd and Steve Reitz.

“We’re like a family,” said Chiu, the crossword creator for San Quentin News.

On Oct. 6, members of the running club lined up as coach Frank Ruona counted down to start time.

Taylor, built like an Adonis, dominates the club records, holding almost all of them. Before the race even began, everyone knew he would run the farthest in three hours. The only questions: Would he beat his own record, and what cause would he dedicate his win to?

Taylor completed 24-1/16 miles, missing his record of 25-11/16. He dedicated the win to the victims of the Vegas terrorist attack.

“We have a high rate of finishers,” 1000 Mile Club Sponsor Diana Fitzpatrick said. “Everyone has gotten much more methodical … It was the kind of stuff that make coaches happy.”

Larry Ford, the club secretary, was all smiles after the race. He broke the 60-and-over record of 20-1/8 set by Michael Keeyes. Ford completed 20-1/2 miles.

“He had the record, and I snatched it away,” joked the 61-year old Ford. “I feel great, like a pert young buck.”

Then Ford turned serious and said, “This club means a lot to me. It means a lot to have camaraderie with all the guys. It gives us goals to set, teaches us the ability to work with each other and gives us something to look forward to.”

This year, Keeyes completed 19-1/2. He’s 70 years old and wears very broken-in sneakers.

Joey Sixtoe, whose wife runs most mornings, ran with the 1000 Mile Club for the first time. He completed 14-1/2 miles.

“Today is the start of it,” Sixtoe said. “My motivation is to run with my wife and play with my kids when I get out.”

Zahava Hirsch, who isn’t a runner, visited the prison for the first time and assisted the runners by handing out nourishments.

“I thought it was very impressive to see you guys pushing yourselves,” Hirsch said. “I’m inspired. I might go buy a pair of running shoes.”