PC Notebook: Curry will be honored on Saturday
A year ago Thursday, Tyler Curry made his final appearance for the Porterville College baseball team.
The relief pitcher completed two-thirds of an inning to help his team defeat Merced College, 8-6, on a sunny day at Pirate Stadium.
Nine days later, on March 30, Curry, a 2011 Monache graduate, was involved in an auto accident that resulted in his death at age 18. His passing not only devastated his family, but it also shook the Porterville community, including his friends from PC and Monache High School.
This Saturday before the Pirates host the College of the Sequoias Giants at 1 p.m., the baseball team will honor Curry a week before the one-year anniversary of his passing. The team will have a moment of silence and present a gift to the Curry family.
The idea came from the PC Student-Athlete Advisory Council, said athletic director Eric Mendoza. “Tyler made a lot of friends at PC and he is still with us in many ways,” Mendoza said. “It’s important for our current student-athlete advisory council to continue celebrating Tyler’s life. For some of the members, they have fond memories – and for the new students, it’s a chance to see how he was a positive influence for so many people. They feel like they know Tyler also, because we never stop talking about him.”
Council president and PC second baseman, James Bingaman, was one of Tyler’s closest friends on the team. Bingaman personally invited the Curry family to Saturday’s game. “We just want to celebrate Tyler’s life and the impression he left on us,” Bingaman said.
“We want people to come out and enjoy a Saturday baseball game as Tyler loved to do. This is a special time for the sophomores who knew Tyler. We also want to leave something behind for future Pirates, Tyler’s motto of ‘love, respect and baseball.’ That’s something we all took from his legacy.”
FREE ADMISSION SATURDAY
Saturday’s baseball game will be free for fans. The PC Student-Athlete Advisory Council is encouraging donations to the Tyler Curry Donation Account, Bank of Sierra. The college will also have hot dogs and refreshments for sale.
VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT
The PC volleyball team is inviting community adult co-ed teams to participate in a one-day tournament – and a chance to play the Pirates in the championship. The “Play the Pirates” event is Saturday, March 30, starting at 8:30 a.m. in the PC Gym.
The $100 team registration fee includes a two-match guarantee. The team advancing to the final match will win t-shirts and face the Pirates. The following match will showcase the Pirates against an alumni team.
To register a team or play on the alumni team, call assistant coach Sylvia Ramirez, (559) 310-3621. Limited spots are available.
