McNamara's Blog

Gary Darling Although born in San Francisco, Gary Darling grew up in the baseball talent-rich South Sacramento area where he played for Parkway Little League and went on to Luther Burbank High School. Under the guidance of Coach Mike Inchausti, Gary was a steady right-handed first baseman for the Titans, graduating in 1975.  Some of his best baseball memories were playing American Legion Baseball for Joe Gill’s Southside squad, along with teammates Chris Gandy and Rod Zanze. They won the area title in 1975. With his baseball career winding down, after two years at Cosumnes River College playing for Jerry Conway, Gary decided to stay in the game via sports officiating, and enrolled in umpire school. Gary has rich memories of his days umpiring in the minor leagues, specifically in the Class A Northwest League. He remembers having terrific partners, sharing hotel rooms, and trying to make $900 stretch for a month. Sometimes it was just a hotdog for dinner.  ...

Bill Walsh   In 1955, the Sacramento Solons, piloted by local pitching legend Tony Freitas, packed up and traveled to Yuma, Arizona for spring training. One of the most intriguing rookies in camp was a 6-6, 230 pound former sailor from Watertown, South Dakota by the name of Bill Walsh. The 22-year old chucker made quite an impression on the Sacramento Union’s sports editor Bill Conlin, who immediately labeled the young man: “Big” Bill Walsh. The rival Sacramento Bee sent a photographer down and later ran a picture on the front page of the sports section of Bill holding two of his, seemingly, diminutive teammates, Richie Myers and Lenny Attyd, in his outstretched arms. The youngster pitched well in his first spring training camp, but was farmed out to Salem in the Northwest League. His manager was the venerable Hal Luby, a 24-year veteran of the Pacific Coast League. Bill’s teammates included Sacramento natives Tommy Agosta and Ronnie King. In his first year ...