Team Hooters Unshaken by Closing of Local Restaurant and Sponsor
By Pasadena Independent
Published: Wednesday, July 8th, 2009
Burbank Store Will Now Support Six-Time Championship Team
Some Hooters girls joined the team Wednesday night to cheer on the team. Their help seemed to do the trick. - Photo by Terry Miller
For several years the guys of Team Hooters have enjoyed the comradery, the competition, the championships and then a chance to represent a nationally known restaurant chain and local business on the softball diamond. Now, with the Pasadena branch of the restaurant shuttering its doors, the team has been hard at work to find new sponsorship and support.
On Wednesday evening we got a chance to witness the team’s spirit and energy at Brookside Park where they played – and easily beat – “The Illegals”.
Team manager Gabriel Zambrana created a relationship with Hooters of Pasadena, while working at the Hilton of Pasadena.
After a few games, Hooters’ management noticed the team was serious about winning and representing the City of Pasadena, so they took a chance and sponsored the team, a few of the managers even going so far as to suit up and join the team themselves.
The restaurant locked the team in for several seasons. In that time, Team Hooters proudly went on to win six championship titles and had a record of 33 and one over three seasons. Now, with the Pasadena Hooters location recently closed, it has fallen to the Burbank branch to pick up the reins and continue the tradition of keeping the team together, both in the restaurant and on the softball diamond. Now, the team is as strong as ever, consisting of veteran leaders like Terry Ward, Bob Noble, Arnie Ewald, Brian Ward and Jaime Solis.
Rounding out the team are batting phenoms Danny Corral, Rob Correa and Randy Holbrook, the defensive wizardry of Wes Johnson, Eddie Lovato and Gabriel Zambrana and lefty legends Hector Jaramillo and Johnny Congote, not to mention the backbone and true grit coming from Hugo Valencia and Rene Encarnecion who keep the team glued together.
The members of Team Hooters say they have been proud to play in Pasadena, representing a local business. Going forward, they say they hope to continue their winning tradition and plenty more memories, now with the Burbank store behind them.
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the photographer took great shots…and great article i wish i could [play] with that team…..