35 cents VOL. 5/ISSUE 22 • THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 2017
FIRST PITCH
Veterans honored with opening throw at Mets Stadium Wendy Dwyer
FOR VETERAN VOICE
Spring Training season is always a festive and fun time of year for folks on the Treasure Coast, and this year is no exception. But in addition to rooting for our beloved St. Lucie and New York Mets at First Data Field in Port St. Lucie, thousands of neighbors, visitors, and fans of America’s favorite sport are cheering for the red, white, and blue, too.
Just as they did last year, A&G Pools made arrangements again this season with the Mets organization to ensure that the first pitch at each and every spring training game and regular season game for the New York and St. Lucie Mets is thrown across the plate by one of America’s real heroes – United States military veterans. At the start of each game, a United States military veteran is escorted to the field by a member of the A&G Pools staff and introduced
to a cheering and grateful crowd. The stands grow quiet, hats are removed, hands are placed over hearts, veterans salute, and the stadium fills with the sounds of our National Anthem. And when the announcer shouts, “Play ball!” it’s a magical moment for the fans in the stands and also for the veteran, who walks away with an autographed baseball and a
See PITCH page 5
Art and Sandee Allen of A&G Pools stand with veteran and first-pitchman John Jetson and NY Mets player Jayce Boyd. Photo courtesy of Tracy McGhee