SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL

Name Dropping: State legislators go to bat

There was a lot of pressure on players in the 7th annual Legislative All-Star softball game in Sacramento.

And it wasn't from the inside pitches or close calls at second base.

Instead, Democrat and Republican players had a stalled budget to pass.

Luckily, a few hours before the players took to the field, the Legislature passed the budget after 51 days of negotiations meaning the game would go on. And among those on the field was none other than Assembly Budget Committee Chairman John Laird, D-Santa Cruz.

In his three at-bats, John had three line-drive singles, two into left field and one into centerfield. He even sparked a game-tying rally with a one-out single. Sources said he went to second on a poor throw by Republican first baseman Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth [the throw hit John on the hand], advanced to third on a subsequent single and went on to score on a bases-loaded walk for the Democrats' seventh run.

The Democrats, however, lost 9-8.

John, who has a lifelong love of the game, also played catcher for three innings.

The annual game benefitted the Resource Area for Teachers and was played at Raley Field, home of the Sacramento River Cats.