Photos by Calyael Photography
Baseball:
By Brian Baiotto, Sports Editor
Jeremy Giambi is gone.
However, his legacy will be long lasting, and one remembered for saving lives.
Giambi won a CIF-SS title at South Hills in 1992, and three years later, he and his boys from Cal State Fullerton left Omaha as College World Series champions.
In 1996, Giambi was drafted in the sixth round by the Kansas City Royals.
He would go on to play for the Royals, A’s, Phillies and Red Sox between 1998-2003.
Jeremy is the little brother of former South Hills, Long Beach State and MLB superstar, Jason Giambi.
The Giambi brothers and their family got to experience the greatest of baseball rarities, as Jeremy and Jason played together for the Oakland A’s during the 2000 and 2001 seasons.
In 2004 and 2005, Jeremy signed minor league deals with the Dodgers and White Sox, respectively, before hanging up his cleats.
He finished his MLB run with a career batting average of .263, 52 home runs and 209 RBIs.
Sadly, Giambi took his own life in February of 2022 at the Claremont home of his parents.
He was just 47.
Instead of allowing his suicide to be the final chapter in the book of Jeremy Giambi, his family and those around him came up with a heroic and life-saving endeavor.
They initiated the Jeremy Giambi Memorial Baseball Tournament, which took place late last month in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, the second of which will be the new home of the A’s in 2025.
In Los Angeles, 87 teams that consisted of ages 7-14, competed at four different parks between September 21-22.
And in Las Vegas, 45 teams made up of baseball players aged 10-18, participated at seven separate baseball fields.
The purpose of this annual event is to raise funds, 100-percent of which goes to CTE research and combating the stigma of mental health and suicide ideology.
I am happy to report that Los Angeles ($66,500) and Las Vegas ($39,000) combined to raise $105,000 in his name.
Going forward, this site will do all it can to promote the Jeremy Giambi Foundation in raising money, and in the hopes of saving lives.
The Los Angeles tournament was hosted by USSSA, and the Las Vegas event was presented by the Oakland A’s and hosted by Vegas Valley Baseball.
May God bless Jeremy Giambi and the family he dearly loved.
To learn more, go to: Home – The Jeremy Giambi Fund
To view a photo gallery of the Los Angeles tournament by Calyael Photography, click on the Facebook link here: Facebook
Quotable:
Jeremy Giambi’s sister, Julie Giambi: “Now, with the 3rd Annual Jeremy Giambi Memorial Tournament in Los Angeles and the Inaugural tournament in Las Vegas in the books, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to each of you for your participation and dedication to this meaningful event. Your involvement has been an incredible tribute to Jeremy’s memory, and your contributions have helped make a significant impact. This tournament has been more than just a series of games; it has been a celebration of Jeremy’s life, and an opportunity to honor his spirit. Every pitch, swing, and cheer in the stands reflected the passion Jeremy had for baseball, and it was truly heartwarming to witness that same energy and love for the game in all of you. Beyond the competition, the impact of this event continues to reach far and wide.
Thanks to your efforts, the funds raised will support vital mental health initiatives, spreading awareness and providing resources to those in need. Mental health is an issue that affects us all, and through this event, we are helping to break the stigma and offer hope to those who are struggling. Seeing so many dedicated athletes, families, and supporters come together in Jeremy’s name has been a powerful reminder of the community he cherished. Your sportsmanship and enthusiasm have made this event a shining example of what it means to honor someone’s legacy through action. Thank you for your commitment to this cause and for helping to keep Jeremy’s spirit alive. Together, we have made a difference, and I look forward to continuing this journey with all of you in the years to come.”
Girls Tennis: Whew! That was close. The Marshall Fundamental girls’ tennis program drove all the way to Santa Barbara to battle San Marcos in the semifinal round of the CIF-SS Division 5 playoffs. And the Lady Eagles earned a spot in the title match by the skin of one’s teeth. Marshall and San Marcos won […]
Boys’ Water Polo: Los Osos didn’t just earn a spot in Saturday’s CIF-SS Division 3 championship game, The Grizzlies did so in dramatic fashion. LOHS led 7-6 in the waning moments of Tuesday’s D-3 semifinal at Santa Monica. The Vikings appeared to score to send the game to overtime. However, the goal was reversed on […]
Pictured L-R: Golden West quarterback, Will Burns, & Mt. SAC running back, Devin Miles Football: By Brian Reed-Baiotto Mt. SAC is the only program in the state of California that has full control over its ranking and postseason position. If the top-ranked Mounties defeat their visitors from Golden West on Saturday night, they’ll enter the […]
Girls Tennis: Marshall Fundamental has now earned a spot in Wednesday’s semifinal round of the CIF-SS Division 5 playoffs. The Eagles secured a comfortable 12-6 victory over their visitors from Carpinteria. Per usual, Marshall’s singles players led the way. Hannah Hagiwara, Diana Kasabian and Elena Edmonds provided eight set wins of the 10 needed to […]
Photos by Ryan Tomey & Conrad Hunziker III Football: Every First Round Score: Division 1: Mater Dei had a bye Sierra Canyon 38, Servite 14 Centennial Corona (bye) Mission Viejo (bye) Orange Lutheran (bye) JSerra (bye) Santa Margarita 59, Inglewood 26 St. John Bosco (bye) Friday’s Schedule: Sierra Canyon at Mater Dei Centennial Corona at […]
Football: Picture it: You’re a 4-6 football team that had to travel 136 miles to Santa Barbara in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 10 playoffs. And on the opening kickoff, you lose arguably the program’s MVP in CJ Gibson. With all things considered, the odds of heading back home with a win had […]
Football: Citrus College improved to 5-4 after Saturday’s 59-19 National Central Conference victory over OCC. Leading 21-12 midway through the second quarter, the Owls scored 37 consecutive points to put the game on ice. Citrus had advantages in first downs (29-18), rushing yards (340-170) and total offense (557-324). Jamahl Wilson carried the ball 15 times […]
Football: The only thing standing between Mt. SAC and next week’s National Central Conference title showdown with Golden West was a Saturday night contest with Long Beach. The Mounties didn’t waste a single second in taking control, and they cruised to a 44-14 victory over the visiting Vikings. Shawn Lievense took the opening kickoff 93 […]
Football: Julian Vigil wasn’t going to allow his high school career to end on Friday night. The Saints senior and his boys hosted Aliso Niguel in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 6 playoffs. And Calpreps, the site that CIF uses to make its first-round playoff pairings, actually projected the visiting Wolverines to leave […]
