Oklahoma City FD Corporal, A Pitcher for The Firefighters Baseball, Promotes Fire Service in All Aspects

From an Oklahoma City firehouse to baseball diamonds across the country, a career firefighter is raising awareness of the fire service and sharing lessons from teamwork to tactics as he pitches for the Savannah Bananas Baseball League.

The Firefighters, a part of the Savannah Bananas, have just under two months remaining in their season and honor the fire service through their entertainment-style of baseball.

This enhances the interaction with the fans but also promotes an interest of the fire service from those who attend the games. Not only is interest spiking with the fans, but within the players of the team. Pitcher Marshall Shill has taken a keen interest in the details of the fire service, learning from the active firefighter on the team, Mat Wolfe, a corporal from the Oklahoma City Fire Department.

"A lot of fans know that I'm an active firefighter, because they've let that be known this year," Wolfe told Firehouse.com. "I have a lot of conversations about the fire service with fans. I've met a lot of firefighters that have come up to me and thank us for doing this and honoring the fire service."

"We've had conversations before. Obviously, we always ask right away what's the craziest stories, but we also try to visit fire stations in every city we go to," Shill said. "Usually, a fire truck takes us out on the field, and either I'll meet them there and say we'd love to come by before the game one day, or I'll meet a group of firefighters up in the stands. They say we'd love to have you by the station. Usually, we'll bring them by some hats and merchandise. Some of the times they'll say, hey, take one of our hats and go ahead and rock that at the game. It's awesome. I’ve learned a lot by visiting a lot of stations."

During the games, the team takes time away from the game to support those first responders who put their lives on the line every day.

One of the segments includes the players going into the stands, finding firefighters, police and service members. They connect by shaking hands and talk with them.

"We say thank you for everything they've done and just remind them that they're the reason why we're able to do this. They're the ones that are working while we are sleeping," said Shill.

In their second season, The Firefighters have been able to incorporate more of the fire service into the games and how they do things.

"I had the guys out there in Anaheim, CA, on the rock wall, and I was showing them how to do bailouts. We got a ladder to do bailouts and actual firefighting maneuvers," Wolfe said. "I think that it would be a cool thing to incorporate some actual fire department maneuvers. They also understand that they're not only catering to the actual fire service but also catering to the masses."

"A lot of times we do the ladder," said Shill. "Mat [Wolfe] taught me how to flip a ladder up one-handed, throw it on my shoulder and run with it. We'll get over to one of the walls and we'll throw a ladder really quick, have guys run up and give out T-shirts or just scream at the top of it in front of all these fans," said Shill. 

Conversations with Wolfe and the head coach, retired Corpus Christi firefighter Valerie Perez, has given Shill even more of an understanding about what they are doing representing the fire service.

"I think that's one of the things that you never hear a kid come up to you and say, that their dad was a banana for the last 30 years," Shill recalled. "Or he lost his life in the line of service, being a banana. You never hear that, but you hear about those stories about being in the fire service. It is a huge honor to be there, helping them represent and contribute to their loved ones that may have passed in the line of duty, which is an incredible thing. That really brings it home a little bit. It's not just that we're out here trying to have fun, but we have a bigger name behind the brand."

Shill also has the honor of being on the microphone when it comes to singing God Bless America, and he announces, “Hey everyone, can we get our phones turn on our flashlights as we celebrate firefighters and give respect to them all across this great country?”

"Obviously, there's a bit of an entertainment side of it, but it's more like we're going to stop and take a moment to honor and respect them. I've been on the mic in front of 6,000 fans and 40,000 fans in some of the big-league stadiums. It's an amazing opportunity to be able to do that," said Shill.

There is still untapped potential that The Firefighters will develop as each season goes on.

Wolfe and Shill believe that more firefighting and fire service traditions can be incorporated on baseball field, not only for entertainment, but for informative purposes.

"I wish we could do more, but a lot of it has to do with fire permits," Shall said. "I'd love to be able to use a Halligan to get through a door....if we can get more props and more tools, I think we can do a lot better job than that on the entertainment side of it."

While America's Past Time is simply the game of baseball, Shill added "there's a huge entertainment side. If we can kind of bring more excitement using actual, more realistic tools, I think it would be awesome."

As the team has evolved, Wolfe said they have been able to incorporate more from the fire service in which he serves. 

"We run fire drills, and we ask questions about smoke alarms during pregame shows and little pieces of aspects about fire safety," said Wolfe. "Which has been cool to incorporate with the kids, because that's what we do with public education in the fire service."

These educational efforts have grown becasue members of the team are interested in a career in the fire service.

"They ask me questions about how my shift works and if I like it," Wolfe shared with Firehouse. "People always ask what my worst calls are and stuff like that. There's been some interest that has sparked in the players. I think them having that as a career after their baseball careers are over with is pretty cool. I think it kind of goes hand in hand. I think you develop many skills in athletics that transfer directly to the fire service," said Wolfe.

"Potentially finding a job two days a week at my fire department back home. I think that would still be a very rewarding career," Shill said.