In their season opener, the San Quentin Giants hit their way to a 12-5 victory over the San Quentin Athletics.
Down 3-2 in the bottom of the third inning, second baseman Chris Smith crushed a two-run homer to right field, giving the Giants the lead for good. Giants’ first baseman Mario Ellis double to center field, moved to third base on a passed ball, and scored on an error. After posting another run on a walk, Jose Sandoval hit a two- run double to right field to give the Giants a 8-3 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Giants third baseman Mark Jordan smacked a leadoff homer to left field.
The Giants extended their lead in the sixth inning, as Chris Deragon roped a RBI double to left field. Moments later, Smith hit his second two-run homer of the game from the opposite side of the plate, giving them a 12-3 lead.

“I wanted to be aggressive and just try and get on base,” Smith commented about hitting two home runs, one from each side of the plate. “I just wanted to get those runs in. And my thing was to get the win, no matter what it took.”
The A’s tried to respond as in the top of seventh inning as Nghiep “Ke” Lam hit a RBI double to left field. In the top of the eighth inning, after Isaiah Thompson Bonilla doubled, Carlyle Blake drove him home with a RBI single to center field, decreasing their deficit to 12-5. The A’s never scored again.

“The San Quentin Giants have strong unity as a team,” Giants head coach Frankie Smith said. “Each player compliments the others and that’s the best ingredient for success.”
Coach Smith acknowledged some of his standout players. He said, “In my eight years at San Quentin, I have never seen a player hit a home run from both sides of the plate. Jeff Dumont showed his ability to pitch and not just throw, pitching 7 2/3 innings of intelligent baseball, giving up two earned runs with six strikeouts.”
A’s outfielder Chris Marshall filled out the stat sheet, having singled, doubled twice, stealing three bases and was hit by a pitch.

Trailing by eight points at the start of the second half in their much anticipated season-opener, the San Quentin Warriors basketball team could not mount a comeback over the outside Sports Ministry team, falling 92-81.
Down 57-49 at halftime, the Warriors started the second half in a full-court press defense to try and slow down the Sports Ministry’s guards. The press defense collapsed as the visitors started the third quarter with 10 consecutive points.
The Sports Ministry entered into a two-three zone, which seemed to limit the Warriors’ offensive effectiveness.
The Warriors went on a scoring drought until forward Anthony Ammons drove down the lane for a layup.
The Sports Ministry immediately responded as Mark Ivy scored on a layup and a baseline fade, increasing their lead to 71-51. Point guard Mike Juco followed with an assist to Ivy and guard Ben Ilegbodu knock down two free throws.

The Warriors countered as Rafael Cuevas made an assist to Allan McIntosh, who slammed the ball with aggression. After a Sports Ministry basket, Jahkeem Stokes-Gullen buried a three from the top of the key and Mike Franklin scored on a put back to decrease their deficit to 77-60.
However, the Warriors could not stop Ilegbodu from scoring 10 second-half points and 41 overall. “I felt good. I felt like I could hit every thing going up,” Ilegbodu said after the game. “I love coming out here to play and have fun.”
Center Ted Hahs finished with 20 points for the Sports Ministry
He said, “I tried to play hard. They worked me hard inside. I just wanted to get a win.”
Hahs played for the Masters College in Europe.
Forward McIntosh finished with 31 points for the Warriors.

San Quentin All-Madden flag football team’s quarterback Royce “Gator” Rose explains how he gradually developed his quarterback skills.
At El Cerrito High School, Rose got his first chance to play the quarterback position. “During my freshman year, my best friend, who played running back, was cut from the team. At that time, we had too many running backs on the team, so I volunteered to play quarterback so I could make the team.”
He commented how he had a sub par quarterback IQ. “I really didn’t know how to run a play, nor did I understand schemes,” said Rose. “I was basically an athlete that threw the ball three to four times a game in a running shoot offense in my freshman year.”
Rose got better as he learned through game experience. He said, “My sophomore year, it took me three games to get on the field. I played for the varsity team and I started to learn the game a bit more.”
Rose played for the Mason and McDuffy baseball team, which is a recreational city team. He played Pop Warner football for the Richmond Steelers. He played baseball, basketball, and football on his high school team, the El Cerrito Gauchos.
“My brother introduced me to sports,” he said. ”I grew up watching him play and it inspired me. I started playing baseball at 8 years old until high school.”
He described his quarterback grade as above average. “I had good skill players, so it made it easier for me. We were all on the same page and it made it easier to play my position.
Rose also plays for the San Quentin A’s baseball team and he attends Patten University’s Prison University Project.
“I’m beginning to become a student athlete,” he said. “I’m taking school more seriously. When I went to college on the outside, I did just enough to get by.”

DOMINICK WHITTAKER FINDS PEACE IN THE FACE OF OVERWHELMING ODDS

Despite having multiple myeloma cancer, Dominick Whitaker continues to run for the Thousand Mile Club and participate in self-help classes.

Doctors diagnosed Whitaker with multiple myeloma in 2008 during his incarceration at California Men’s Colony. “I’ve been taking chemotherapy and radiation treatment for about fi ve years now and I’ve outlived my survival date,” Whitaker said. “The doctors told me two years ago that I would be dead, but I’m still here.”

Whitaker had a remission and is now going through his second relapse. “It came back and we are going to try a stem cell transplant,” said Whitaker.

“The doctors told me two years ago that I would be dead, but I’m still here”

He said he won’t let his medical problem slow him down. “I am going to keep doing what I was doing prior to when I was diagnosed,” he commented. “When I run, I try to run about fi ve miles at minimum.”

Whitaker’s advice for those diagnosed with cancer: “You can’t give up in your mind and you have to go out and exercise to build up your immune system to fi ght it off. It’s not the end of the world.”

He said his positive attitude “comes from my spirituality. I’m at peace with myself and I’m at peace with death.”

He also advises incarcerated cancer patients to get involved in programs such as “mindful meditation.”

Whitaker ran track and was a wrestler at Union Dale High School in New York.

He also played lacrosse at Syracuse. He recently graduated from the GRIP (Guiding Rage Into Power) program and currently participates in The Last Mile program.

San Francisco 49er quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s childhood dream came true before our very eyes.
A letter Kaepernick wrote to himself when he was 10 years old was printed recently by the San Francisco Chronicle.
He wrote, “I’m 5 ft 2 inches 91 pounds. Good athlete. I think in 7 years I will be between 6ft to 6 ft 4 inches 140 pounds. I hope I go to a good college…then go to the pros and play on the Niners or the Packers even if they aren’t good in seven years…Sincerely Colin.”
His hope became reality in 2011, when the 49ers traded up with the Denver Broncos in the second round and selected Kaepernick 36th overall.
After starting quarterback Alex Smith’s concussion in the second quarter against the St. Louis Rams in week 10, Kaepernick entered the game and led the 49ers to a tie. He finished the rest of the season as the starter with a 5-2 record.
Born in Wisconsin, Kaepernick moved to Turlock, Calif. with his adoptive parents, Rick and Teresa Kaepernick, at the age of four. His parents had lost two children to congenital heart disease before adopting Colin, who is now heavily involved in Camp Taylor, an organization that helps children with heart diseases.
Nevada offered him a scholarship despite concerns that he would choose professional baseball over playing for the Wolf Pack. The Chicago Cubs drafted Kaepernick in the 43rd round of the 2009 draft, but he continued to follow his football dream.
Kaepernick became the first player in NCAA history to have three consecutive seasons in which he threw for more than 2,000 yards and rushed for more than 1,000 yards. He is also the only quarterback to have passed for 10,000-plus yards and to have rushed for 4,000-plus yards in the history of Division I FBS college football.
In 2007, Kaepernick won Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year and was named the WAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2008 and 2010.
At the time the San Quentin News went to press, Kaepernick was fresh off a win over the Green Bay Packers, in which he threw two touchdowns and ran a record-setting 181 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown run. He is preparing to compete in the Niners’ second NFC championship in as many years, versus the Atlanta Falcons.

Distractions in the San Quentin Giants baseball team’s off-season affected the team’s structure and continuity, yet they finished with a 6-5 record.
There were many obstacles to overcome for the Giants going into the season. “The season was full of ups and downs,” said inmate Coach Frankie Smith. “It was short and somewhat unorganized, but regardless it is baseball in prison, so we need to keep that in mind.”
Smith tried not to let these challenges hold him back. “My approach to the season was like any other once we got the ball rolling, so to speak,” said Smith. “Pick nine guys and play the best baseball possible.”
Giants catcher Michael Tyler did not let the team circumstances affect his approach to the season, either. “I tried to stay positive and not let the game change who I am on and off the field,” said Tyler.
Tyler said he approached the season determined to perform better than he did last year. “Every year I try to do better and improve my skills where I can. I just want to play baseball and have fun doing it.”
Coach Smith discussed the improvements his team can make going into next season. He said, “Perfect practice makes perfect. It is clear that our team is not getting any younger, so by maintaining our physical health during the off-season, the team can have a jump on those who allow themselves to get out of shape.”
Tyler said he can help his team by improving his batting technique and becoming more of a leader on the field. He said, “My batting is something that I truly need to work on. I can see the ball, but I have not yet learned how to turn my hips on the ball. I also feel if I play catcher again this coming season, I will take more of a leadership role and be a little more vocal.”
Despite an average baseball season, Tyler said he appreciated the opportunity to play baseball with his teammates. He said, “I have some good memories of this past season that I will hold onto for the rest of my life.”
 

San Quentin’s tennis team plays most weekends against outside players from local colleges, professional teams, and the Marin Tennis Club. The men told the San Quentin News what drives them on the court.
“I keep playing tennis because I enjoy the idea that my shots keep getting better. There is always the thought that I may make a killer topspin rip across the court to make the point. Oh, that is a great feeling! Of course there are some good days and some bad days. That is the way it goes.” – Jason McGinnis
“I enjoy the camaraderie and it’s a lot of fun. There’s a lot of good guys I get to play with. It’s good for my health because I’m a heavy guy and it’s something I can take to the street with me. Playing tennis helps me to stay focused and from worrying. It is also great to be able to play guys from the streets like the college athletes who teach me things like bettering my back hand. It’s a blessing.” – Marc Jordan
“I love the fun and the challenge of learning something new. Tennis is a sport where there’s always something you can work on like serving or my backhand. As long as it stays fun, I’ll be on the court.” – Chris Schuhmacher
“My health. Also it is a way to be the athlete that I always was early on. There are workouts involved as you become more aware of the sport, which does not always happen in another sport. The challenge is the thrill of putting it all together.” – James Taylor
“I think the camaraderie and the competition are things that motivate me in strengthening my game. It helps me relieve stress. It also helps me with my communication skills because I get to socialize with people from the outside communities.” – Orlando Harris
 

The San Quentin A’s worked their way through an exceptional 2012 baseball season, according to Coach John “Yahya” Parratt and pitcher Nghiep Ke Lam.
“The season went excellent and my expectations were reached when I saw the happiness in my players’ faces,” said Parratt.
Ke Lam gives appreciation to everyone who contributed to the A’s successful season. “I felt our season went miraculously with the support of the administration, the Oakland A’s organization, a few dedicated coaches from the outside community and the wonderful teams making the trip to play us,” said Ke Lam. “Despite some setbacks, my team made this season very memorable. We went beyond expectations.”
Parratt’s management skills helped the A’s to their second winning season. “My approach to the season was to go in and put the best nine on the field,” said Parrett. “I wanted to make sure we had each player in the right position and have a good bench and pitching staff to carry us through.”
Ke Lam expressed some areas of improvement they can address before next season. He commented, “There are minor improvements we could work on, like base-running and understanding the signs.”
“San Quentin A’s is a team, and team stands for Together Everyone Achieves More,” Parratt concluded.
The A’s finished their season 8-0.