By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity
Ft. Meade, Md., Oct. 22, 2014 – America’s game honored
America’s best as Major League Baseball dedicated the first game of the
Giants-Royals World Series to America’s veterans.
Navy Adm. James Winnefeld, the vice chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald watched
as Army Staff Sgt. Pedro Sotelo threw the first pitch to start the best of
seven series last night.
“We’re talking about America’s veterans and America’s game,”
Winnefeld said during a short press availability before the game. “It’s a real
honor for us in uniform, for Major League Baseball to think enough of us to
dedicate this first game of the World Series … to veterans.”
Winnefeld and McDonald joined Baseball Commissioner Bud
Selig in the Veterans Honor Annex at the Kansas City, Missouri, VA center.
Major League Baseball provided much of the money to build the annex. Selig
called the decision to honor veterans a “privilege.”
Looking around the facility, McDonald offered his gratitude
for the facility. “It’s a great way to show those who have borne the battle …
that we support them and that we support their families,” the secretary said.
“We all understand the symbolism of the military and the
symbolism of the uniform, and the symbolism of those we’ve lost,” Winnefeld said.
“Those veterans watching tonight -- the first pitch of the World Series thrown
by somebody in uniform -- their hearts will beat a little faster, they’ll be
very proud of that young man out there and they will wish him the best.”
Sotelo, who served in Iraq with the 173rd Airborne Brigade,
did the services proud. He threw a perfect strike to Royals catcher Salvador
Perez.
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