• Home
  • Mail
  • Flickr
  • Tumblr
  • News
  • Sports
  • Finance
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Answers
  • Groups
  • More
Yahoo
    • Skip to Navigation
    • Skip to Main Content
    • Skip to Related Content
    Lifestyle Home
    Follow Us
    • Style
    • Beauty
    • Wellness
    • Pop Culture
    • News
    • Horoscope
    • Video
    • Polyvore

    Hunter Pence wore the ashes of a Dodgers fan in a necklace to help his daughter get closure

    Liz Roscher
    Big League StewOctober 31, 2017
    Reblog
    Share
    Tweet
    Share
    Giants outfielder Hunter Pence helped a Dodgers fan find closure after her father’s death. (AP Photo)

    Hunter Pence is the kind of ballplayer that marches to the beat of his own drum. The wild hair, the beard, the unique practice swing, his love of video games and even the games and comics coffee shop he hopes to open, it’s all very Hunter Pence-ian, and all awesome. So it may not surprise you to find out that he wore a necklace containing the ashes of a deceased fan on the field back in September.

    But would it surprise you to find out that Pence, who plays for the San Francisco Giants, wore the ashes of a Los Angeles Dodgers fan?

    Initially, maybe. But once you know the whole story, it’s not surprising at all. It’s just more of Pence being Pence-ian and wonderful.

    The whole thing started with filmmaker Matt Liston, who does a series of sports documentaries called “Mr. Impossible” for Uninterrupted. His most recent mission for “Mr. Impossible” is about a lifelong Dodgers fan named Melissa Janiszewski, and her journey to have the ashes of her father spread at Dodger Stadium, the place where they bonded over baseball.

    Melissa had reached out to Dodger Stadium several times about spreading the ashes of her father there, but each time they said no. Between public ordinances and their own policies, they don’t allow it. A Dodgers employee suggested that a nearby public park (with a view of the stadium) would be a good place, but the view of the stadium was questionable — as was the condition of the park itself.

    Liston even reached out to famous Dodgers fan Larry King, who couldn’t believe that the Dodgers wouldn’t allow that. Eventually, Liston recruited Hunter Pence, Giants right fielder, to help. They put Melissa’s father’s ashes in a necklace, which Pence wore during a Giants-Dodgers game on Sept. 22.

    As he always is, Pence was eloquent and thoughtful about wearing those ashes, and what it meant to Melissa.

    “It’s not necessarily the physical of the ashes. It’s being the instrument of that spirit and his presence being out there with me and hopefully giving her some closure.”

    Sadly, not every fan will be able to have a guy like Hunter Pence wear their loved one’s ashes onto the baseball field. Every year, there are thousands (and probably more) people who want to spread the ashes of a friend or family member at a stadium. And it makes sense! Ballparks are places where memories are made. You’re spending time with people you love watching the team you love play the sport you love.

    But that presents a problem. Liston points out that there is no organized way for people to fulfill the wishes of their loved ones and spread their ashes at a ballpark. That doesn’t mean that it isn’t done, but it’s done secretly. In episode 1, Liston put together a montage of videos featuring people clandestinely dumping ashes onto baseball fields, hoping that security wouldn’t notice them.

    In light of Melissa’s story, and the stories of others, Liston has started a campaign to get teams to designate special days for fans to fulfill their loved ones’ final wishes. That kind of thing doesn’t exactly match with the happy, positive tone that teams like to set before and during games, but it would be a lovely recognition of the loyalty, dedication and lifespan of fans.

    Liston’s documentary about Melissa and fan ashes is six episodes long (each about six minutes), and contains a lot of cool information about the feasibility of spreading ashes at ballparks, as well as some research into whether doing that would be any more harmful than the paint and chalk on the field. It’s definitely worth a watch whether or not you’re thinking about having your ashes spread at a ballpark.

    – – – – – –

    Liz Roscher is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at lizroscher@yahoo.com or follow her on twitter! Follow @lizroscher

    More from Yahoo Sports:
    • What Garoppolo trade tells us about Belichick
    • Refs leave field after high school anthem protest
    • NFL-best Eagles improve with trade for Pro Bowl RB
    • Jackie Robinson cap testifies to racist era

    Reblog
    Share
    Tweet
    Share
    Polyvore

    What to Read Next

    • Rachel Weisz is pregnant at 48 and people are confused

      Yahoo Lifestyle
    • What is pancreatitis? Popular DJ Avicii, 28, dies after years of health problems

      Yahoo Lifestyle
    • Walmart is letting its employees wear jeans — but the dress code change isn't as great as it may seem

      Yahoo Lifestyle
    • Passenger Next to Woman Sucked Out of Southwest Plane Speaks Out: 'I Wrapped My Arm Around Her'

      People
    • The End of an Era: Queen Elizabeth Names Her Successor

      PureWow
    • People are boycotting LA Fitness over racist incident, despite apology

      Yahoo Lifestyle
    • New Details About The $10 Million Dollar Contract Kris Jenner Reportedly Made Tristan Thompson Sign So He Doesn't Cheat On Khloe Again

      YourTango
    • Jenna Dewan is getting shamed for posting underwear campaign pics after split from Channing Tatum

      Yahoo Lifestyle
    • Princess Eugenie's short dress and knee-high boots are causing a style controversy

      Yahoo Lifestyle
    • 'Throw out' all romaine lettuce, CDC advises, as E. coli warning expands

      Yahoo Lifestyle
    • Kim Kardashian Just Chopped Off All of Her Hair

      Marie Claire
    • Expert: Melania Trump may be sending a secret message with her outfits

      AOL.com
    • Jimmy Fallon choked up last night while paying special tribute to Tina Fey

      Hello Giggles
    • Bela and Marta Karolyi deny knowing about 'awful' Larry Nassar abuse at Karolyi Ranch

      Yahoo Lifestyle
    • Kim making out with Kanye at Kourtney's b-day party will remind you love is real

      Hello Giggles
    • Anna Faris and Chris Pratt "Completely" Agree That "Divorce Sucks"

      Brides

    Ex-sanctions czar bashes Obama administration's 'weak' response to Russian interference

    Dennis: A story about Obama, Really

    Join the Conversation
    1 / 5

    3k

    • How this Midwestern mom ended up married to an ISIS sniper

      Yahoo Lifestyle
    • Khloé Kardashian Copied Sisters with True's Name

      Marie Claire
    • This Keith Raniere Sex-Cult Story Is Much Deeper Than Allison Mack’s Arrest

      Vanity Fair
    • Sarah Palin is promoting 'skinny tea' on Instagram — but is it safe?

      Yahoo Lifestyle
    • Melania Trump's Christian Louboutin stilettos stole the show at Mar-a-Lago dinner

      AOL.com
    • Behati Prinsloo Is Getting Mommy-Shamed for Her "Pump and Dump" Breast-Pumping Picture

      Allure
    • The airlines that have never had a single plane crash

      The Telegraph
    • Breaking news: David Harbour and Joe Keery are rooming together for "Stranger Things" Season 3, and to be a fly on that wall

      Hello Giggles
    • Bond, Baby Bond: Rachel Weisz and Daniel Craig Are Expecting First Child Together

      PureWow
    • Meghan Markle channels Jackie O in $375 Black Halo dress

      AOL.com
    • David and Lauren Bush Lauren Have Baby Boy

      WWD
    • This woman says she stopped aging when she was 20 years old

      Yahoo Canada Style
    • Carrie Underwood Finally Opens Up About The Accident That Left Her With 50 Stitches

      HuffPost
    • 6 Things I Did as a Kid I Didn't Realize Were Because of Anxiety

      The Mighty
    • McKayla Maroney says Larry Nassar manipulated her with food

      Yahoo Lifestyle
    • Carrie Underwood Reveals Her Scar For The First Time After Getting 40+ Stitches In Her Face

      YourTango
    Polyvore