By Emeri Satchell, Bowie High School 11th grader
Former Major League Baseball player Vernon Wells returned home last month to Bowie High School. The Bowie alum and three-time MLB All-Star threw out the first pitch at the same baseball field he played at in high school before the Bowie Vols took on Martin High School. Wells’ father caught the pitch.
Wells was given a tribute prior to the game with the unveiling of a banner at the field in his honor. He was also presented with a framed Bowie jersey along with two photos from his high school career wearing number 10.
Wells was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, and his family moved to Arlington in 1988. Wells attended Bowie where he was the quarterback for the football team and excelled in baseball. He graduated in 1997 and was then selected as the fifth-overall pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1997 MLB draft. Wells played for the Blue Jays for 12 seasons, from 1999 to 2010. He then played for the L.A. Angels of Anaheim from 2011 to 2012 and finished his career with the New York Yankees in 2013, where he retired in September of that year. In addition to three All-Star appearances, Wells also earned three Gold Glove Awards and a Silver Slugger Award during his outstanding career.
After throwing out the first pitch at the Bowie game, Wells gave a handshake to each of the current players on the Vols baseball team and offered them some advice. He also visited with the team earlier in the week to give some guidance.
“He helped motivate the team to play up to the standards we know we can,” said 11th grader Jaxon Turner, number 5 on the team.
The current Vols were impressed by all of Wells’ accomplishments and were ecstatic to meet him. They thanked Wells and his family on the team’s Instagram page, writing that they “appreciated Vernon Wells and the Wells family for attending tonight’s game and allowing us to properly honor you.”