Santa Barbara Foresters Dole Out Hugs for Cubs
The semi-pro baseball team spends quality time with kids battling cancer as a part of an ongoing program started by manager Bill Pintard.
The smiles were brighter than usual at the oncology wing of Santa Barbara Cottage Children’s Hospital on Thursday when the Santa Barbara Foresters semi-pro baseball team paid a visit. The athletes are part of a program called Hugs for Cubs, which connects baseball players with kids battling cancer.
Foresters manager Bill Pintard said the program “makes our players realize baseball is just a game and they are fortunate to be able to play it.” Pintard founded Hugs for Cubs in 1995 with his son, Eric, who died in 2004 after a long battle with brain cancer.
“We took at bunch of kids to an Angels game, we have a surf day coming up, we do bowling nights at Zodo’s," he said. “It really puts things into perspective.”
The program serves as a legacy to Eric Pintard, organized by both his father and uncle, Dave Pintard.
“Eric was an incredible human being,” said Dave, who serves as chairman of the program. “He would light up any room.”
The guys, in full uniform, came prepared with baseball hats, Beanie Babies and T-shirts to hand out. The first patient they visited was Manuel “Junior” Huerta, 9, who is battling cancer. His mom, Veronica Barefort, watched as an entire baseball team squeezed into her son’s hospital room.
“This is exciting,” said Barefort. “He wasn’t smiling, and now he is.”
Jaynie Wood is the Child Life Specialist in Pediatrics at Cottage and has been involved with the Hugs for Cubs program for more than a decade.
The players often talk to patients about one of their favorite subjects — baseball.
“We will ask them who their favorite player is, favorite team,” said Ian Berger, a 21-year-old pitcher from the University of Missouri.
Junior was met with a rowdy response when the team asked him what his favorite sport was and he answered, “Football!” followed by his favorite baseball team, “The Dodgers!” He happily received a Dodgers hat. Later, players signed programs for the kids.
One of the most refreshing parts of the morning is how the patients, although going through a tough time, are still just kids. Coraima Alonzo, 5, was shy but visibly excited at her throng of visitors. When Pintard asked her what her favorite thing to do was, she answered, “I like food things.” The players laughed — they couldn’t argue with that one.
Center fielder Kevin Muno, 20, from the University of San Diego, said the program is a great opportunity to give back.
“We just give ‘em some smiles and try to make their day that much better,” he said.
At the end of the hour, Wood gathers the guys for a quick goodbye. She says she knew Eric when he was fighting cancer, holding his hand as he got his CT scan.
“What you do today profoundly affects the kids here,” she reminded the team, which expressed its sentiment in true baseball form — a huddle and cheer around the grateful Wood.
Noozhawk intern Mollie Helmuth can be reached at .
» wrote on 07/17/08 @ 10:52 PM
Hey Macfadden,
You need to step up and get a skilled photographer or two.
[Editor’s note: You’re telling me. We’d be obliged to have you volunteer.]
» wrote on 07/18/08 @ 05:52 AM
Every person in these photos has red eye.
» wrote on 07/18/08 @ 08:49 AM
You don’t hear about sports teams doing this kind of thing enough. It is encouraging to me to see these college kids investing time into the lives of these kids who are in need of so much hope. An article like this should be an inspiration to us all to be more involved with the community and encourage us to do all we can to help out those less fortunate. Great work Mollie- keep it up!
» wrote on 07/18/08 @ 10:54 AM
Are you kidding? I don’t shoot for free.
[Editor’s note: Well, let’s all be grateful that you can comment for free. Thanks anyway.]
» wrote on 07/18/08 @ 03:01 PM
Nothing personal. But too many of these new media outlets expect skilled people to work for free
[Editor’s note: No offense taken. We’re a penniless startup and are grateful to have the community’s involvement in covering Santa Barbara, Goleta and the rest of the South Coast.]