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News
PRESS: Sabathia leaves Vallejo tots delighted
ShareBy Rich Freedman (Times-Herald staff writer)
Most, if not all, of the kids couldn’t care less if the New York Yankees get in the World Series. Or that New York is even a state. Or that CC Sabathia has 2,017 strikeouts in 11 major league seasons.
The 20 or so toddlers enjoying the new play area Thursday morning at Youth and Family Services do know that Sabathia is 1). A very, very tall man and 2). They sure like their Little Tyke cars, basketballs and jungle-themed walls.The transition from weeds to a stellar playground culminates CC and Amber Sabathia’s “Christmas Caravan,” finishing four projects by the couple’s PitCCH In Foundation.
On Monday, the Sabathias led a ribbon-cutting of the renovated Crest Adult Center gardens in North Vallejo. On Tuesday, the couple joined a holiday party for children at Kaiser Permanente. On Wednesday, 20 teens joined the Sabathias on a ferry ride to San Francisco’s Nike Town.
A busy week, to be sure. But well worth it, said CC, whose foundation also funds charitable projects in and around New York City.
“This is near and dear to my heart,” said the lefty. “Whenever I’m back, I do what I can.”
“It’s the season to give,” Amber said, happy that she and CC “are able to touch the lives of so many kids in Vallejo.”
CC’s mother, Margie Sabathia Lanier, tagged along at every stop, thrilled that her 31-year-old son again delivered to the town where he grew to 6-foot-7.
“That’s the best Christmas gift,” she said. “Saying he’s doing what he said he’s going to do. He always talked about giving back and hasn’t changed. I love him to death for that.”
Mike Wilson, Vallejo High School’s athletic director and football coach, said he will never take what the Sabathias do for the program and the community for granted.“I’m super proud of CC. Anything he does is outstanding,” Wilson said. “The things he does in the community and around the school is just great.”
It’s CC’s achievements around town and not his exploits on the pitching mound that Wilson said he emphasizes most to Vallejo High students.
“They can see a guy who is good to his family, doing his job and not going out in the street and doing crazy things,” Wilson said. “That’s what I talk to the kids about, not so much the glamour part of it but who he is. And CC is the same person he was in high school.”
Though Sabathia’s disappointed that the Yankees were knocked off in the first round of this past season’s American League Division Playoffs, baseball was far, far in the back of his mind Thursday. It was all about the little kids smiling, jumping up and down, waving their autographed photos and enjoying a bunch of toys.
With memories of his fondest Christmas — getting a ping pong table at 12 — Sabathia marveled at the finished projects that were circled on the “wish list” back in February.
“It’s been unbelievable,” Sabathia said of the week. “I’ve had a lot of fun. This is a great way to end it.”
Yes, CC said, he gets a bit antsy from early in the year until the Caravan Week, waiting to see what “Team 52″ leader Stephen Eriksen and volunteers come up with.
“It is tough. You get anxious,” Sabathia said. “You want to make sure everything goes perfect.”
“This is a great way to end it,” said Amber, surveying the many kids beaming on the playground.
“It’s all been great,” she added. “But I really did enjoy the teen excursion (to San Francisco). There’s always some type of toy drive for the children, but the teens kind of get left out during the holidays. We were able to give them gifts.”Amber said Christmas was always about “being with family and staying up late and unwrapping gifts. Christmas and the holidays correlate with happiness and I hope all the kids here can be happy.”
The youngest three of the Sabathias’ four kids — age 16 months, 3 and 6 — joined the rest of the children Thursday. The couple’s 8-year-old was a bit too old for this activity, though he attended the Kaiser event.
“Any charity we do, we bring the two older ones,” Amber said. “I want them to know how important it is to give back and how blessed they are and grateful they should be for the things they have.”
Next up: The renovation of Vallejo High School’s varsity baseball field, with the Sabathias attending the highly awaited Jan. 27 ribbon-cutting.
“That’s going to be amazing,” Amber said. “I’m hands-off on that project other than the finance part of it. CC’s really involved. If there wasn’t that field, who knows if he would be doing this today.”
CC can’t wait.
“It’ll look nicer than the Oakland Coliseum. I guarantee that,” Sabathia said grinning. “We’ll take more pride in it, too.”
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