San Fernando Alumni Play Ball Despite Rain

Hasty morning groundskeeping by the San Fernando High baseball players and coaches enabled the Tigers alumni game to be played on a dry field Saturday. The crowd of nearly 3,000 that attended the game and accompanying festivities saw the San Fernando varsity defeat the 38-man alumni team, 11-4.

“I woke up at 6 a.m., saw it was raining and got the team out there raking and shoveling,” Coach Steve Marden said. “I bought 20 gallons of gasoline and burned the water off the home plate area and the base paths.”

Appearances were made by honorary game chairman Ricardo Montalban, the Raiderettes, a sky diver and the Cal State Northridge pep band. Proceeds from the game go to a high school dropout prevention and recovery program.