You might know Baseball Mary if you have dined at The Clement Street Bar and Grill. There is no mistaking her; she is the engaging woman in the Giants jersey exuding good cheer and welcome. Her enjoyment of life is contagious. She is a passionate San Francisco Giants fan, a one-woman cheering section.
She was 19 years old when she came to San Francisco on her own to start a new life in the city whose aura of free-thinking and free-spiritedness meant freedom. She feels people should do what they want to do, and youth, she says, is very good for that. How did baseball get under her skin? Find out.
As she talked about her first game when Vida Blue pitched, I couldn’t help feeling the joy. The details of her life in the context of the Giant’s history is not only Mary’s personal story but also a part of San Francisco history. Although Mary identifies in life very strongly as a fan, she does not put herself in the center of any universe or want to give herself any particularly elevated importance. Admirable and then some. “I am just a fan.” She says.
But there is more to this picture. Mary is a very powerful, smart, sweet, giving and loving woman who feels responsible for doing her part to make the world a better place. And, that she does. Every year she raises money for some worthy organization and does it with the conviction that every one has a duty to use his or her ability to do something for the world. “Imperative,” she says. This last two years she has raised money for Hospice by the Bay through an event that she gives in her home.
Mary has a smile that makes you want to smile back and is the kind of natural leader who walks through her days with gratitude as her guide.
From me to you with love in the air,
Janet
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