rhino
10-20-2006, 08:32 AM
Another Milford connection to the Tigers in our local paper. Three brothers who are the batboys for the Tigers. (I think that exhausts all the Milford connections, I won't be posting anymore articles):
http://*******.com/yje7my
Helping the roar
By John Mueller
SPORTS WRITER
Not only is Jonathan Rinkinen a big sports fan, he's also a very talented writer.
It was just as much of the latter as it was the former that earned the Highland native a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity when he turned 16 years old: Working as a batboy for the Detroit Tigers.
Now, at 21, he gets to enjoy it along with his younger brothers as well.
Brother Joseph, 18, and 17-year-old Jacob currently work for the Tigers, too. And what a time to work for them; the team is heading to their first World Series in 22 years this Saturday.
"It's really cool to be working with my brothers at the ballpark because I know they love baseball too," said Jonathan, who in addition to Joseph and Jacob has two sisters, 20-year-old Julianne and 14-year-old Jenna.
It all started with a letter Jonathan wrote to the Detroit Tigers management, inquiring about job opportunities. He was only 14 years old when he wrote it, but it made an impression because one night someone from the Tigers' management called Jonathan at home.
"He wrote this letter to them without us knowing," said Linda Rinkinen, his mother.
"We had no idea. And they called for him and said they had received this awesome letter from him. He wanted to work down there so much."
Jonathan picked up the phone and was immediately asked if he was 16 years old yet, the cutoff age for working with the Tigers. Jonathan said no, but that he would be by the next summer.
Sure enough, a year later he was contacted again. And by the time that summer rolled around, Jonathan was 16 and raring to go.
He hasn't looked back since.
Joseph and Jacob followed in his footsteps, each signing up to work for the Tigers as soon as they turned 16.
"We all love baseball," Joseph said. "It's definitely been a great experience."
Jonathan is a senior at Bowling Green State University, Joseph is a freshman at Hope College in Holland and Jacob is a senior at Lutheran Northwest High School in Rochester Hills. All three have extremely busy schedules, what with their school obligations and their means of employment, but they find the time to get it all done.
"They're really good students," Linda Rinkinen said.
Each February, the three brothers get to travel down to Lakeland, Fla., for two weeks to help out with spring training. Once the regular season is under way, they typically work just about every home game (the Detroit Tigers employ a separate set of batboys for away games) and are in charge of keeping the clubhouse clean and washing uniforms and towels in addition to minding the players' bats.
An amazing job, even if the team they were working for wasn't all that amazing.
But that was before this season.
Right off the bat, the brothers could tell that the 2006 outing was going to be special. But still, the World Series? Joseph admitted he was dubious.
"I thought the idea seemed far-fetched," he said. "I never really thought it was possible."
When it became reality — when Magglio Ordonez hit that towering three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning to propel the Tigers past the Athletics at Comerica Park last Saturday — Jacob knew he was witnessing a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence.
"It was one of the best times of my life," he said. "It was sweet to see it happen."
Now it's time for the next step. The Tigers will be taking the field Saturday at Comerica Park against the winner of the National League Championship Series (either the St. Louis Cardinals or the New York Mets).
And so will the three Rinkinen brothers.
"I can't wait for it," Jacob said. "Having all three of us down there, it will be great."
John Mueller is a sports reporter for the Milford Times. He can be reached by phone at (248) 685-1507 ext. 25 or by e-mail at jmueller@gannett.com.
Originally published October 19, 2006
http://*******.com/yje7my
Helping the roar
By John Mueller
SPORTS WRITER
Not only is Jonathan Rinkinen a big sports fan, he's also a very talented writer.
It was just as much of the latter as it was the former that earned the Highland native a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity when he turned 16 years old: Working as a batboy for the Detroit Tigers.
Now, at 21, he gets to enjoy it along with his younger brothers as well.
Brother Joseph, 18, and 17-year-old Jacob currently work for the Tigers, too. And what a time to work for them; the team is heading to their first World Series in 22 years this Saturday.
"It's really cool to be working with my brothers at the ballpark because I know they love baseball too," said Jonathan, who in addition to Joseph and Jacob has two sisters, 20-year-old Julianne and 14-year-old Jenna.
It all started with a letter Jonathan wrote to the Detroit Tigers management, inquiring about job opportunities. He was only 14 years old when he wrote it, but it made an impression because one night someone from the Tigers' management called Jonathan at home.
"He wrote this letter to them without us knowing," said Linda Rinkinen, his mother.
"We had no idea. And they called for him and said they had received this awesome letter from him. He wanted to work down there so much."
Jonathan picked up the phone and was immediately asked if he was 16 years old yet, the cutoff age for working with the Tigers. Jonathan said no, but that he would be by the next summer.
Sure enough, a year later he was contacted again. And by the time that summer rolled around, Jonathan was 16 and raring to go.
He hasn't looked back since.
Joseph and Jacob followed in his footsteps, each signing up to work for the Tigers as soon as they turned 16.
"We all love baseball," Joseph said. "It's definitely been a great experience."
Jonathan is a senior at Bowling Green State University, Joseph is a freshman at Hope College in Holland and Jacob is a senior at Lutheran Northwest High School in Rochester Hills. All three have extremely busy schedules, what with their school obligations and their means of employment, but they find the time to get it all done.
"They're really good students," Linda Rinkinen said.
Each February, the three brothers get to travel down to Lakeland, Fla., for two weeks to help out with spring training. Once the regular season is under way, they typically work just about every home game (the Detroit Tigers employ a separate set of batboys for away games) and are in charge of keeping the clubhouse clean and washing uniforms and towels in addition to minding the players' bats.
An amazing job, even if the team they were working for wasn't all that amazing.
But that was before this season.
Right off the bat, the brothers could tell that the 2006 outing was going to be special. But still, the World Series? Joseph admitted he was dubious.
"I thought the idea seemed far-fetched," he said. "I never really thought it was possible."
When it became reality — when Magglio Ordonez hit that towering three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning to propel the Tigers past the Athletics at Comerica Park last Saturday — Jacob knew he was witnessing a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence.
"It was one of the best times of my life," he said. "It was sweet to see it happen."
Now it's time for the next step. The Tigers will be taking the field Saturday at Comerica Park against the winner of the National League Championship Series (either the St. Louis Cardinals or the New York Mets).
And so will the three Rinkinen brothers.
"I can't wait for it," Jacob said. "Having all three of us down there, it will be great."
John Mueller is a sports reporter for the Milford Times. He can be reached by phone at (248) 685-1507 ext. 25 or by e-mail at jmueller@gannett.com.
Originally published October 19, 2006