By Tony Zerucha, The Clipper
Baseball is a family affair for the Zebinskis, and they said they are fortunate to enjoy the game within their larger baseball family – the Springfield Senior Braves.
From Selkirk, Ty Zebinski joined the Braves in 2000. After taking a few years off to start a family, he returned in 2017 and is still going strong.
“I turned 50 this year, and I don’t feel like I’ve slowed down any,” Zebinski said. “I might as well keep going because the family enjoys coming out.”
The Zebinski clan includes wife Vanessa and twins, daughter Addison and son Jacoby (12), who is named after Jacoby Ellsbury, who starred on the family’s favourite team, the Boston Red Sox. Ty’s parents are also fixtures at the Dugald diamond. They seldom miss a game.
Everyone’s involved. Addison plays infield and pitches for the Selkirk Mariners. Vanessa shares the role of provincial coordinator for Manitoba Challenge Baseball, a program offering athletes of all abilities the opportunity to play modified baseball. Jacoby is an eight-year veteran of that program. He was born with spastic cerebral palsy, a disorder that affects all four limbs and forces him to use a wheelchair.
“It’s a great way to bring out kids who enjoy sports and a way for them to socially interact and meet new friends because the disability community can be isolating for some of our kids,” Vanessa explained. “Jacoby’s made some great friends since he joined in 2016. “It’s a great way to promote the game of baseball so everybody can play.”
Jacoby is a passionate baseball fan. He follows the Toronto Blue Jays and Minnesota Twins, with his favourite player Twin Byron Buxton. Jacoby knows all the Winnipeg Senior Baseball League players. Sometimes, he takes the lineup card to home plate.
“He’s watching the game just like everybody else,” Ty said. “He watches the balls and strikes and chirps like anybody else. He knows all the umps by first name, and he’s very critical of some of them, which I was at one point.”
A few years back, Ty began taking Jacoby for a lap around the bases after every game. Soon, the Braves lined up along the baseline to high-five him as he rolled by. The other team, and even the umps, quickly followed.
“It’s become part of the fabric of our league; every team embraces it,” Ty said. They all line up on the baselines, and we go around the bases. Everyone’s cheering, even the umps.”
“Jacoby wanted to be part of the game.”
Sports provide unique opportunities to forge deep relationships through the shared experience of pursuing a common goal. In special circumstances, those relationships go further.
“We’ve become a family,” Ty said of the Braves. “I’ve known Boomer (manager Gerry Palidwor) for almost 25 years.”
At first, it was only Ty. Then he married Vanessa. Soon after, Jacoby and Addison came along. Ever since, the entire clan has been to almost every game, travelling to tournaments in Brandon, Neepawa and Wawanesa.
“It’s been quite a journey and a lot of fun,” Vanessa said. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything. We’re quite a baseball family. Ty’s parents fixtures are fixtures still too.”
“That’s the icing on the cake for me,” Ty said. “When I look up and see them watching and enjoying the game, it’s pretty special.”
That family extends to the Braves organization. It begins with Palidwor, who looks beyond typical baseball skills as he builds his roster.
“We always say this is the Braves family,” Palidwor explained. “A lot of times you see teams where guys show up for the game, and 10 minutes after, they’re gone. We have many guys who’ve been here for 20 years. They get it. They embrace it.”
The WSBL does too. In 2019, the Braves were on their way to a provincial crown. Near the end of the championship game, a league official approached Palidwor.
“The organizers came up to me and said to make sure those two little kids line up when we receive our medals,” he recalled. “They each got one too.”
There are more special memories. In 2019, Jacoby won the Jason Krestanowich Memorial Trophy, given annually to someone who shows a heart for the game. In the small baseball world, this particular award was extra-special for Zebinski, who once played under its namesake.
“The fact he won the award named after the guy who brought me into the league was extra special,” Ty said.
Another time, the Braves were selling Grey Cup tickets, with the Zebinskis selling plenty. At the team windup, the team presented them with a lift to help load Jacoby’s wheelchair into the van.
“It’s something that will stick with me forever,” Vanessa said. “This is a special group of people. That’s what families do. We look after one another.”
Baseball is a special game. As much as the Zebinskis have given to it, they’ve received far more in return.
“That we’ve been blessed as a family to be able to play this great game for such a long time, and with a great group of people is really special,” Ty said.
