The 1st Annual Mike Spiers Foundation Golf Tournament will be held at San Dimas Canyon Golf Course on Friday, June 3 at 1:00pm.
In conjunction with CBA, we are proud to offer High School players the opportunity to earn community service hours and to give back to their youth program by promoting the game of baseball. We believe that all of the players in CBA's high school program have the exceptional ability to lead, and we would like to help them cultivate the confidence in an environment they are very familiar with... on the field with our younger players who look up to them.
In conjunction with the Mike Spiers Foundation, we are proud to offer our High School players the opportunity to earn community service hours and to give back to the youth in our program by promoting the game of baseball. We believe that all of the players in our high school program have the exceptional ability to lead, and we would like to help them cultivate the confidence in an environment they are very familiar with... on the field with our younger players who look up to them.
We are so grateful for the people and businesses that have been able to contribute to the Mike Spiers Foundation since 2013. Without the monetary support from our sponsors below, we would not be sustainable in what we do today
Platinum Sponsors:
Crabbe Family (2016)
IBEW Local 18 (2016)
CBA Baseball (2013-2016)
Gold Sponsors:
Aladdin Bail Bonds (2015-2016)
Estrella Aesthetics and Surgical Arts (2016)
Silver Sponsors:
Tyler and Jill Falwell (2015)
Iconic Brands (2013-2016)
Mobilitie Communications (2015)
Thank you,
Mike Spiers Foundation
To get more information on the Mike Spiers Foundation, please visit www.mikespiers.org.
This was a phrase that my dad, Mike Spiers, used on occasion to help bring the best out of his players when they weren't taking care of business. Many times he would say it when guys wouldn't hustle to pick up bats or play catch with the outfielder. When we knew we had responsibilities as players and didn't execute them, he would lightheartedly remind us with that simple comment. We would respond with a smirk or a sarcastic comment, but also with an adjustment to make better decisions the next time around.
Those words became more than just a common saying for his friends, family, and players after his passing. Those words ring in our minds today as not just a way to take the field, but a way to approach life each and every day. There are times when I hear coaches from other teams use those same exact words in hopes to get the appropriate response from their players, and I find myself saying a lot of the same things my dad used to say to my players, including this phrase from time to time.
The legacy Mike Spiers left behind is immeasurable with the amount of people he touched and affected around the world through baseball and sport in general. There are countless young athletes that have played for him that have moved on to play baseball in the collegiate and professional ranks, but even more so that didn't. The life lessons we took home from team practices and gameplay were much more than just baseball skills and mindset. Each player that came up under his tutelage, understood a little more each day what it meant to be young men. Mike Spiers was passionate about his work in this game we all love, but even more driven to make sure each player in his program succeeded on and off the field. Up until his last days in the hospital, he would speak about how proud he was of the guys who played for him 20 years ago and where they were in life today. Some were talented and driven enough to make it to the big leagues, but he was equally proud of the many who became professionals in other areas, such as doctors, lawyers, or politicians.
After my dad's passing on January 18, there hasn't been a day that has gone by that someone hasn't come to me to tell me how he played such a positive role in their life. I'm am forever grateful for the many people that continue to remind me of how my father's legacy will continue to grow in our program and others. It is not the name of our program that represents him, his passion for the game, the love for his players and family. Rather it is the substance and the hearts of the men and women of our program that knew and loved him.
I want to thank each and every one of those who understand what we try to accomplish in our program and what my dad would have wanted for our players and families who are involved. When you get a moment, I would like for each of you to go to www.mikespiers.org, and sign into the guestbook. You are all apart of the Mike Spiers Family!
Joe
Mike Spiers loved baseball. He loved coaching kids. He loved teaching kids how to play this great game that we all love. He loved creating opportunities for players of all ages and he was fiercely competitive.
Mike was involved with Perfect Game from the very beginning and spent just as much time helping Perfect Game as he did his own programs. He sent hundreds of players to college and professional baseball and many of the players he helped never donned an ABD uniform.
Mike was never shy about sharing his opinion, and he did so intent on improving the game of baseball.
There was a player that Mike was adamant about and a guy we used to argue about all the time. I used to argue with Mike when I knew there was something he felt really strongly about, even if I agreed just to get him riled up. Mike was dead serious that this guy would hit in the big leagues. He just kept saying, "People don't realize how good this guy is." I knew he was a good player, but Mike knew he was special when the kid was 14 years old. That player was Allen Craig.
I used to aol chat with Mike from like 10 at night to sometimes four in the morning. I would copy the chat and paste it into a word document just to make sure I didn't forget all of the ideas that we talked about, or the teams that he said we should try and get.
Mike really wanted a baseball complex built in California. He was one of the happiest people I talked to when the LakePoint development became a reality.
I still can see Mike chewing on a straw telling me why he gets so many guys thrown out stealing bases. Yep, I argued with him on that one too.
I had so many conversations with Mike involving other parents about going to events, getting seen, and him selling our stuff again better than anyone. Mike did it the right way. His players loved him and the parents of his players did as well.
Baseball is and will continue to be the best game there is because of men like Mike Spiers. I know that Mike will continue to coach, continue to teach, and continue to live the game of baseball, because that was his life. I just wish baseball had more guys like Mike Spiers. Baseball lost one of our best ambassadors of the game and I lost a good friend. Rest in peace Mike Spiers.
Here are some other quotes from those that were close to Mike Spiers that responded to the news late on Friday evening:
"On behalf of SHOW Baseball may Mike Spiers rest in peace. The baseball world has lost a coach who made a difference. Dios te Bendiga Mike Spiers and ABD." ~ Hector Lorenzana
"Our prayers and thoughts are with his family." ~ Manny Hermosillo
"What makes me sick is that three nights ago I thought about calling Mike as a friend and nothing to do with baseball. Just because I hadn't talked to him in so long. I'm kicking myself right now. He was really good to me. I stayed at his house and roomed with him a few times. I worked closely together on the early PG California events. He got a lot of prospects who are now big league stars like Bryce Harper to do PG Showcases when they were real young.
"What most people dont know was he was an excellent cook. So good that i thought his fallback would be to open a restaurant or come out with his own line of foods because he would never share a recipe.
"The word is the same from all of the travel coaches and guys who helped us run events with mike. They all said to a man he was a good guy. A baseball guy. And their thoughts and prayers go out to his family and ABD. I shed some tears tonight." ~ Tyson Kimm
"(Mike) made the best chicken alfredo I have ever had to his day, and he also had an incredible salsa recipe. Mike did a lot of good for PG and kids. We lost a good one." ~ Jason Gerst