PCL1 Fresno Grizzlies

Grizzlies Join Community in Contributing to Deondre "Day Day" Howard Memorial Fund

Published on February 3, 2016 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


FRESNO, Calif. - The Fresno Grizzlies, along with business leaders and the community, are pitching in for the Deondre "Day Day" Howard Memorial Fund, which will help finance a memorial for the recently deceased Deondre "Day Day" Howard, a local athlete whose life was tragically cut short in August of last year.

Small in stature, Howard was known for having a winning spirit both on and off the field. He was a dual sport athlete, playing baseball and football at the varsity level for four years for the Edison High School Tigers. His athletic ability helped the Tigers secure the Central Section championships in both sports. Howard was a cornerback on the Edison High football team his freshman year in 2009, when the team won the D-II title. The left-handed pitcher also helped capture the D-II championship on the Edison baseball team in 2012, where he picked up 24 wins and 324 strikeouts in just over 337 innings.

After graduating from Edison in 2013, Howard was a star athlete at Fresno City College, where he continued his winning ways in both baseball and football. During his freshman year, Howard made eight tackles on the school's football team, but he mostly concentrated on baseball. He pitched 8 1/3 innings with a 3.24 ERA, along with three strikeouts and one save.

Chris Pacheco from 940 ESPN Radio remembers him as an undersized athlete who always had a smile on his face and was always playing at a very high level; who not only was loved by his teammates, but also charmed his opponents.

"I really appreciated him playing so much greater than his physical stature was," Pacheco said. "The kid was fearless." Edison High baseball coach Cliff Rold says Howard was a special part of the team.

"He epitomized what Edison baseball has been for the past 24 years," Rold said. "He adapted to all environments and was accepted by all."

Both Pacheco and Rold have spearheaded the Deondre "Day Day" Howard Memorial Fund, and the memorial itself will be located at Edison High School. The Deondre "Day Day" Howard Memorial will depict Howard in both his baseball and football uniforms. The Fresno Grizzlies are also on board with donating part of the proceeds from its upcoming 55th Anniversary Hot Stove Gala, coming up on Thursday, Feb. 11 at 5 p.m. in the Fresno Convention Center's New Exhibit Hall in Downtown Fresno.

There is already a stellar lineup for the event, featuring former Major League Baseball player and manager Bobby Valentine as a Special Guest Speaker. Valentine, known better to some as "Bobby V," began his career in Major League Baseball in 1969, playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the California Angels, the New York Mets, and the Seattle Mariners, before finishing his playing days in 1979. In 1985 he transitioned into the role of a manager, leading such teams as the Texas Rangers, the New York Mets, the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball, and finally the Boston Red Sox. Valentine's greatest accomplishment as a Major League manager was in the 2000 season, when he led the New York Mets to a National League Pennant and their first World Series appearance since 1986. The Mets would not appear in the World Series again until 2015.

Valentine has continued to share his baseball knowledge with others, lending his insight as an analyst for "ESPN Sunday Night Baseball." Away from the game, Valentine has also served as the Director of Public Safety & Health for the City of Stamford, Connecticut. He is now the athletic director at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut.

The baseball great will join another guest speaker, Fresno Grizzlies Manager Tony DeFrancesco, along with Grizzlies catcher Tyler Heineman and pitcher James Hoyt, for the evening's festivities. DeFrancesco led the Grizzlies to their first-ever Pacific Coast League and Triple-A National Championships in his first year with the ball club, where the franchise picked up its first division title since its inaugural 1998 season. Heineman and Hoyt both made the final play in Game 5 of the PCL Championship, thus clenching the title. All four of the men had a role in the Triple-A National Championship last year, with Valentine participating on the broadcast team for the NBC Sports Network.

In order to donate to the Deondre "Day Day" Howard Memorial Fund, please contact head baseball coach Cliff Rold or head football coach Matt Johnson at Edison High School in Fresno by calling (559) 457-2650.

The Fresno Grizzlies would like to thank the sponsors of the 55th Anniversary Hot Stove Gala. Presenting Sponsors: Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino; PG&E.

Event Sponsors: Donaghy Sales; Gar Tootelian, Inc.; Phoenix Coatings; Engelmann Cellars; Cookie Couture; Korbel; Solar City; Spectra Food Services and Hospitality; 940 ESPN Radio; In Full Bloom.

The Hot Stove Gala benefits the Fresno Grizzlies Community Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that manages community programs such as Wild About Reading, Farm Grown and Junior Grizzlies. Tickets are currently available for the dinner. In addition to guest speakers from the world of baseball, awards to local high schools and high school players will be presented. The Al Radka Award will also be announced and presented during the dinner. Tickets are $75 for adults and $35 for children (12 and under). An All-Star Table (includes 10 tickets) is available for $700 and space is limited. To purchase tickets, please RSVP by calling Grizzlies Community Fund Director Whitney Campbell at (559) 320-2547 or by visiting www.FresnoGrizzlies.com.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from February 3, 2016


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