Stompers ?welcome Vida Blue

Vida Blue pitched a no-hitter when he was just 20, will throw out first pitch at Stompers-Admirals game Aug. 9.|

Former Major League Baseball pitcher Vida Blue will be on hand Wednesday, Aug. 9, for the Sonoma Stompers game with the Vallejo Admirals at Arnold Field. Blue will throw out the first pitch and sign autographs.

Blue was a phenom with the Oakland A's in the early 1970s, throwing a no-hitter when he was just 20 years old and winning the Cy Young Award when he was 21. He was traded to the San Francisco Giants in 1978, when he won 18 games.

His appearance will be followed the next night, Aug. 10, when the Stompers celebrate Japanese Heritage Night, also against the Admirals. The night will feature a special pre-game ceremony as well as activities along the concourse during the evening.

Stompers manager Takashi Miyoshi became the first Japanese-born manager in the history of American professional baseball when he took the the reins of the team in 2015. Sonoma also has two other Japanese-born players in their starting lineup, fan favorite Yuki Yasuda and shortstop Masa Miyadera.

Also Thursday night, the Stompers will host Ila Borders biographer, Jean Ardell.

Ardell will be signing copies of the book they wrote together, 'Making My Pitch: A Woman's Baseball Odyssey,' a biography of Borders. Borders became the first woman to play in a men's professional baseball league since the 1950s when the St. Paul Saints signed her in 1998. Ardell will be selling and signing books on the concourse and mingling with fans during the game.

All games begin at Peoples Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field, 6 p.m.

For more details and ticket information, visit stompersbaseball.com.

UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy:
  • This is a family newspaper, please use a kind and respectful tone.
  • No profanity, hate speech or personal attacks. No off-topic remarks.
  • No disinformation about current events.
  • We will remove any comments — or commenters — that do not follow this commenting policy.