Sunday, April 28, 2024

Steven Zinn served as Spirit bat boy: Baseball Profiles

Steven Zinn 1990 San Bernardino Spirit card

The San Bernardino Spirit recorded three bat boys in 1990, each of the three appearing on San Bernardino cards.

Bob Harvey, Jr., appeared on his own, while the other two appeared together on their card identified as only bat boys.

A team photo in The San Bernardino Sun, however, appears to identify both: Dustin Avila and Steven Zinn, Avila top, right, Zinn bottom, left. And the bat boys in the photo appear consistent with those on the card.

But, while both Avila and Harvey are referenced elsewhere, in a Sun article from two years prior, that team photo appears to be Zinn's only mention in The Sun connected to the team.

Is there anything else that can be learned of Zinn in the archives? Maybe.

Bat boy Harvey turned out to be the son of the team's radio announcer. Are there any other Zinns referenced in Sun stories connected to the team? Kind of, yes. Is it significant to bat boy Zinn's story? Unclear.

The San Bernardino Spirit's general manager at the start of the 1990 season was Bill Shanahan. The Sun featured Shanahan and his contributions to San Bernardino baseball in an article that December. 

Among those quoted in the story was a Rob Zinn, pastor of the church Shanahan attended, Immanuel Baptist Church in the San Bernardino area.

"I think the Spirit changed the city," Zinn told The Sun in the Shanahan article. "Let's put it this way. I believe Bill Shanahan is personally responsible for telling the world who San Bernardino is."

Steven Zinn 1990 San Bernardino Spirit card


1990 Minor League Tally 
Players/Coaches Featured:4,360
Made the Majors:1,403-32.2%
Never Made Majors:2,957-67.8%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:571
10+ Seasons in the Minors:352

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