During their tenure in the nation’s capital, the Nationals have been consistent in their efforts to support the military and its community, a commitment that Manager Dave Martinez passionately shares. Growing up with multiple military ties in his own family, the skipper understands the sacrifice that veterans and service members make to allow others to feel safe.
“It means a lot to me,” Martinez said.“It really touches my heart because I grew up with an uncle and cousins that are all veterans.”
However, family was not the only thing that inspired the manager’s desire to show his gratitude. Martinez cited the history of baseball and his childhood heroes as inspiration for his commitment.
“If you look back at the history of the game, so many of my heroes were veterans,” he said. “You go back to Yogi Berra. You go back to Joe DiMaggio. The list goes on and on but one of my idols, Roberto Clemente, was a vet too, and that means a lot to me.”
The opportunity to show his appreciation to veterans surfaced again before the May 21 game against the Minnesota Twins. Martinez and 12 members of his coaching staff visited the Washington DC VA Medical Center to spend the morning with patients, pass out lunches and tour various wings of the center.
The DC VA Medical Center serves more than 128,000 enrolled veterans residing in D.C. and areas of Maryland and Virginia and provides comprehensive primary and specialty care to eligible veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces.
“The Nationals are dear and close to the heart of so many of our veterans and our staff members, and so it was very exciting for our team that the Nationals come back and recognize their community and the sacrifice of our veterans,” said Medical Center Director Michael Heimall. “It was really great having Davey and the coaching staff from the Washington Nationals and the team from the Robert Irvine Foundation come and spend some time with our veterans and staff.”
Sacrifice and appreciation: two things that Martinez wanted to emphasize with his staff and something that could be felt throughout the entirety of the visit. The group spent the first part of the visit with extended care and geriatric care patients, handing out Nationals gear while enjoying lively music and conversation on the rooftop patio of the Community Living Center.
“I think that coming and seeing and allowing that [sacrifice] to sink in is a huge part of what Davey had us come out here and do,” said Hitting Coach Darnell Coles. “It allows us to understand what they have gone through, but most importantly, give them an appreciation for what they have done for us and allow us to do what we do.”
These intimate moments of appreciation were found throughout the visit. Pitching Strategist Sean Doolittle made his way to a corner of the patio, where he spoke at length with two veterans, deep in conversation and thought. Martinez and several other coaches talked and took pictures with some of the dancing veterans in the courtyard. Bench Coach Miguel Cairo and bullpen catcher Drew Rossi went around with hats to sign and give out to physically impaired veterans.
“They were so excited to be able to spend time with the coaching staff. It is a real morale boost,” said Heimall. “Some of our veterans have some incredibly devastating injuries through the different wars that they served in. To see local sports teams, the coaching staff and folks like Davey Martinez come and spend time with them to recognize their sacrifice, it validates for them their service to this nation.”
After saying their farewells to the veterans in the Community Living Center, the coaches made their way to visit several different groups of veterans at the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation unit. The group stopped by general rehabilitation before surprising a class of blinded and low-vision veterans that were taking courses from the Blinded Veterans Association.
The room erupted in cheers as the coaches made an assembly line of autographed baseballs to show their appreciation for their service and sacrifice. Martinez, a man who has always worn his heart on his sleeve, got a little choked up when he spoke to them during a brief pause in the class, stating, “it is truly an honor to be here with you.”
The interaction with these groups struck a chord with Coles. “We, as people that are not in the service, do not understand what that [sacrifice] means. I think us coming was great for them, but even more so for us. It gives us an appreciation for what other people go through when you are willing to put your life on the line for something like some of these people have.”
The veterans are not the only ones at the medical center that dedicated their careers to serving others. Martinez and the coaches recognized the dedication of the staff who care for those who served this country — and with the positive attitude that keeps the veterans moving.
“The people that work here are unbelievable. They are managers in their own way, and I appreciate everything they’ve done and giving their lives to [support] veterans as well,” Martinez stated.
While the visit came to an end, the sentiment of gratitude for the veterans and staff stayed with the coaches as they traveled back to Nationals Park for the evening game.
“This is just a gesture of appreciation for what they have done for us,” Martinez reflected. “I could not do what I do without these people, so I am very blessed…To have my coaches with me and to bring them out here to let them experience what I have experienced as a kid means a lot to me.”