Q&A: Yonder Alonso

Yonder Alonso held his Celebrity Basebowl Tournament on Wednesday as a fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego.

Question: As someone who was raised in the Boys & Girls Club, what does it mean to give back in a big way with your tournament?
Answer: Giving back to the Boys & Girls Club is such a huge deal. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to raise awareness for the club and the inner-city kids. I’m a huge believer in always giving back to the next upcoming (generation) and the future. It’s always an excellent tribute to them and obviously to us. It was just an opportunity to have something (for the kids).

Q: Playing for the Padres, it’s probably really exciting for the kids to see you out there putting on the event. Did professional athletes help out at events you attended as a kid?
A: Growing up in the Boys & Girls Club, you had guys like Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter helping out. So many guys would come and give back to the Boys & Girls Club that I was a part of and it was a learning experience and I dream of mine to be able to reach their level and do the same for the kids today. Once they see guys like us helping out, maybe some of today’s kids will want to go that route and reach that big league potential. Those are just little things I try to help the kids out with.

Q: You talked about Jeter and Rodriguez helping out at some of the events you attended when you were younger. Is there a specific story of meeting or interacting with them that stands out to you?
A: One of the first times I met Jeter and Rodriguez, they had a Boys & Girls Club event to raise money during Christmas time. We were able to hang out with them all day and raise a lot of money for us. That was the first time where I saw those guys giving back and it was something that I wanted to be part of as well. It was a day I’ll always remember and I was only about 10 or 11 years old. I feel like if I can do that for even just one or two kids, it would make my day.

Q: When did you truly get serious about hosting a fundraiser for the kids of the Boys & Girls Club?
A: The minute I was a professional. That’s just what I wanted to do — I wanted to give back and do something like that.


(sandiegouniontribune.com)