Firemen’s Olympics Keep Team Rivalries Aflame

Adrenalin and tempers were running high. The throws were on a line, and players were diving into bases head first. For the teams in the 14th annual statewide Firemen’s Olympics in Irvine, it was more than a softball game.

“They’re not messing around here,” said Los Angeles County firefighter Russ Van De Mark. “They might have a beer at the end of the day, but there’s no partying during games.”

Van De Mark oversaw the softball tournament, the most popular sport in the games, he said. The weeklong event began Monday and ended Friday. More than half the participants in the Olympics played on one of the tournament’s 64 softball teams, he said.

Nevertheless, the fires raging statewide kept many at home doing their jobs. Although 2,000 were able to participate in the Olympics, more than 100 had to cancel.

All firefighters who managed to attend the games got co-workers to work double shifts for them. Each participant got someone to work in his place, said Ed Brownlie, general manager of the Firemen’s Olympics. For most, that meant asking a buddy to stay on duty at the fire house. But if the company was called out and players were needed on fire lines, they returned. The Central Fire Protection District from the San Francisco Bay area, for example, had to recall its contingent Tuesday night to fight the Los Gatos fire.

The games, sponsored by the California Firemen’s Athletic Assn., were held on the UC Irvine campus, although some events, such as golf and surfing, were held nearby. A total of 1,018 medals were awarded in 16 sports, including volleyball, golf, tennis and surfing. The athletes, who paid $30 for each sport they entered, bore the entire $70,000 cost of the games, Van De Mark said.

The site alternates yearly from Northern to Southern California, fostering some intense North-South rivalries among the softball teams.

Each team member wore a T-shirt or cap emblazoned with the fire company’s logo, and many wore baseball pants, stirrup socks, batting gloves and other baseball paraphernalia.

One of the rivalries was heating up Wednesday afternoon as a Los Angeles City team--L.A. Red --was playing the San Leandro team for a spot in the playoffs.

“We can’t afford any flat innings!” shouted a Los Angeles firefighter. “Come on Danny!” yelled another, urging Dan Costa to reach base. Costa came through with a single and later came around to score, putting his team ahead 11 to 3.

L.A. Red went on to win that game but finished second the next day to another Los Angeles City team--Gangreen. San Leandro, the defending champion, finished ninth.

Although many of the teams who were in the games also play in other leagues, a gold medal in the Firemen’s Games is considered the highest honor they can achieve, Van De Mark said. “This is the one that everyone remembers for the whole year.”