'MO - August 2008 - (Page 8)

community click here to comment on these stories. I’d started playing shortstop the year before, but the power of some batters intimidated me. Soon I was placed in left ﬁeld, which had its own set of disadvantages. Whenever a ball popped into the stratosphere, the coach taught us to “call” it but also cover for each other. Many guys “hot-dogged” it trying to steal a catch destined for my mitt. There were collisions I barely averted, and balls I dropped or missed. During my sixth grade season a new kid arrived on the team and started as shortstop. With sun-bleached hair parted straight down the middle, Chris Schneider became the object of my fascination. A junior version of late-1970’s teen idol Leif Garrett, Chris’s mouth was encased in braces but when he smiled the world lit up. Not only did he play shortstop, he pitched. When I’d watch him on the mound, spitting into his glove before he unleashed a curved ball—well’s let’s just say I became distracted, which didn’t improve my performance in left ﬁeld. By that time, I’d already “played doctor” with Rod, the catcher on my team. An incorrigible redhead already sporting facial hair, he would often dispute the umpire’s call and make an outlandish fuss. But Rod’s antics couldn’t distract from the immense crush I felt for Chris, he of the quiet conﬁdence, pouty lower lip, and cool, gentle demeanor. In a way Chris, along with one other childhood friend with whom I fell in love, became a paradigm. Both boys next door, blonde, blue-eyed with a hint of mischief. I’ve since emerged from left ﬁeld, and after “coming out” began playing a surprisingly darn good game of ball. No longer anxious to prove my manhood, the American pastime for me holds a reservoir of meaning, identity, and desire extending far beyond the game. Jack is a freelance writer and longtime seattle resident who makes his home on capitol hill. Voices My Summer in Left Field By Jack hilovsky If I have a choice to participate in sports versus watch them, I’ll choose the former every time. After all I had a mother who taught me how to play tennis and ice skate by the time I’d entered kindergarten. As I matured my parents introduced me to two other sporting activities they enjoyed: bowling and golf. But the source of most of my youthful angst centered on the game of baseball. I started out playing wifﬂe ball in the ﬁrst or second grade, before graduating to t-ball soon thereafter. By fourth grade I’d entered the echelons of the softball league via the Cub Scouts. From here the game grew a bit more competitive and the cool factor began to take over. Kids chewing gum and wearing baseball cleats, dirt all over their jeans from sliding into third base. I have Kodak snapshots of me kneeling in the front row of my team with a prim pageboy haircut, the only kid not wearing his baseball cap. During my ﬁfth grade summer I began feeling different from most of the boys on my team. Many had ratty hair and started mouthing expletives although at the time you could be thrown off the team if you were caught swearing. When they tossed the ball they exhibited a physical conﬁdence that I lacked, despite playing endless evenings of catch with my Dad in the backyard of our house, which adjoined the school playﬁeld. I had a wide throw, not known for its accuracy, although with practice I steadily improved. Coors Brewing Company Becomes The First Corporation To Support The Matthew Shepard Foundation’s New Campaign To Erase Hate A matching gift of $25,000 encourages individuals to give their time and funds to erasing hate in our society. Coors Brewing Company was the ﬁrst corporation to respond to a public call by Judy Shepard to join her in her commitment to ensure dealing with hate is a top priority in our schools and workplaces. Coors, a national sponsor of the Foundation, will match 100% of the ﬁrst $25,000 in individual’s donations through the Campaign to Erase Hate website. Shepard launched the ‘Campaign to Erase Hate’ at the organization’s recent annual gala by asking the crowd of more than 500 people to join her in helping the Foundation fulﬁll its mission of erasing hate. “Coors takes great pride in being a partner with an organization with such a powerful and important message,” said Corporate Relations Manager Doug Sanborn. “We wanted to help the Foundation engage more people in this important campaign as well as help provide the crucial funds it takes to fulﬁll such a movement. Coors is dedicated to its on-going partnership with the mission of the Matthew Shepard Foundation.” The Campaign to Erase Hate was created to mark the 10th year since Matthew’s death. The overall goal is to equip individuals with the necessary tools to discuss and address hate workplaces, and communities. For the last 10 years, individuals have been raising themselves to do amazing things with no resources. What we are trying to do is give this great work a structure and create a community of individuals who are using their voices and talents to address these issues,” said Judy Shepard. The Matthew Shepard Foundation is dedicated to ‘Erasing Hate’ through education, advocacy and awareness. The Foundation is the voice for inclusive hate crimes legislation and works to empower and ensure the safety of gay, transgender and allied youth. For more information, please visit http://www.matthewshepard.org/ and http://www.matthewsplace. com/. The Campaign to Erase Hate is a program of the Matthew Shepard Foundation. It models the principles that were core to the beliefs and aspirations of Matthew Shepard. To join the campaign, visit www.MatthewShepard. org/CampaignToEraseHate. celebrating seattle’s gay community in our society. These tools include personal Web pages, resources on dealing with hateful speech and actions, monthly correspondence and most importantly, a way to invite ten others to join. Coors is the ﬁrst company to sign on as a corporate supporter. The goal is to engage nine other corporations at the same level. “We are starting a movement of people dedicated to erasing hate from our schools, 8 http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2218554897 http://www.matthewshephard.org/ http://www.matthewshephard.org/ http://www.matthewsplace.com/ http://www.matthewsplace.com/ http://www.MatthewShepard.org/CampaignToEraseHate http://www.MatthewShepard.org/CampaignToEraseHate

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of 'MO - August 2008

'MO - August 2008 Contents Letter From The Editor Voices Coors Joins the Fight to Erase Hate Pet Project ’mo-BIZ: Ajaxx63 Northern Xposure Returns Lambert House Offers Youth Support Beijing, China The 2008 Gay Softball World Series in Seattle Form & Function: Vacation Nutrition An Account of the STP Bicycle Classic Book Review: Family Outing by Troy Johnson Capitol Hill Guide Live Event Review: Teatro ZinZanni’s Quest for a Queendom SceneOut: People@Places

'MO - August 2008

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