Father and son feel at home at Petco

05-25-2007

By Tom Shanahan, San Diego Hall of Champions

Mira Mesa High senior pitcher Deryk Hooker has a baseball scholarship commitment to San Diego State, but as with any prospect waiting to see how the amateur baseball draft turns out, he may or may not play for the Aztecs at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

But Hooker and his father, Dan, are already established at Petco Park, the downtown home of the San Diego Padres that opened for the 2004 season.

Dan helped build Petco, sang the national anthem at an exhibition game and Deryk received his Hall of Champions Star of the Month plaque on May 25 during a pre-game ceremony at homeplate at Petco.

Dan worked two years building Petco Park with crews for Morley Construction. Dan worked mostly on the deck and was featured cutting wood in a Padres' commercial about the building of Petco Park.

Dan, who sings in his church choir, was selected to sing the national anthem before a Padres' exhibition game against the Seattle Mariners a few days before the official National League opener at the new stadium.

Dan is looking forward to seeing Deryk standing at home plate at Petco as he is introduced to the crowd. Deryk, as an April Star of the Month by the Hall of Champions, will receive his plaqe before the Brewers-Padres game.

Once a month, the Padres recognize the Hall of Champions' Stars of the Month plaques to San Diego high school and college players in baseball and softball with a pre-game presentation at home plate.

"It will be the one of the biggest thrills of my life to see my son on the field at Petco getting an award," Dan said before the game. "The Padres have been looking at him (for the draft), so maybe we'll get to see him in a Padres uniform some day."

Deryk, a 6-foot-5, 195-pounder, finished the regular season with a 9-2 record for the Marauders, who are ranked No. 8 in the San Diego Section. He improved to 10-2 with a 7-2 win over La Costa Canyon Tuesday as Mira Mesa won its first-round game in the CIF San Diego Section Division I playoffs.

Mira Mesa (24-7) advanced in the double-elimination tournament and on Wednesay beat No. 7-ranked Rancho Buena Vista. The Marauders play today at No. 2-ranked Granite Hills.

Two other Stars of the Month receiving Star of the Month plaques for April were Mira Mesa High softball pitcher Melissa Tillett (prep sports) and San Diego State softball pitcher/outfielder Melissa Owens of Chrisitan High (amateur sports). Tillett was honored in April and Owens, a first-team All-Mountain West Conference pick, was honored in February.

The athletes were greeted at home plate by Jake Peavy, a pro Star of the Month for April honored by the Hall of Champions.