3 Takeaways:

– For 15 years, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community has hosted the spring training home opener at Salt River Fields. 
– Community royalty, artists, dancers, performers and singers participated in the pregame ceremonies for this year’s home opener on Feb. 20. 
– The Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the co-host of Salt River Fields, the Colorado Rockies, 3-2. 

The first official crack of a baseball bat was heard on Feb. 20, signifying the return of everyone’s favorite sport, baseball. 

As has been the tradition for 15 years now, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community hosted the annual spring training season opener at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. The game showcased the two host teams, the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies, and opening-day festivities featured a who’s who of Community artists, performers, singers and dancers. 

Before Diamondbacks pitcher Thomas Hatch took the mound, fans had the opportunity to meet Community artists Raeann Brown, Candice Manuel, Gabriel Martinez, August Wood; Jr. Miss Salt River Tiare Begay-Smith; tribal elected officials; and many more representatives from the SRPMIC. 

Additionally, staff members from the Discover Salt River team were stationed at the front entrance, helping to educate both locals and out-of-town visitors about the cultures, traditions and enterprises that make up the Community. 

Brown, Manuel and Wood had booths with their artwork at the front entrance of Salt River Fields. While the mother-and-daughter duo of Brown and Manuel worked on their baskets, Wood was at the table next to them working on his various projects. 

“I’ve been out here several times,” said Wood as he worked on his latest pottery piece. “It’s always a good time to come out to share some of our traditional art with the people that are coming here and show them [that] we are still producing traditional pieces.”

Wood is no stranger to displaying his work; he was recently selected as the featured artist at the 2025 S’edav Va’aki Museum Indian Market. 

“It’s always good to be a part of this,” he added. 

Field Festivities 

The SRPMIC group Bird Singing and Dancing by the River performed on the field. Following their performance, the Salt River Traditional Dance group also made an appearance, performing behind home plate. Afterward, members of the Salt River Police Department presented the colors. 

With only moments to prepare due to an unexpected last-minute change with the originally scheduled singer, Community member Bryce McGertt was selected to sing the national anthem. He rose to the occasion. “I had about an hour to prepare, but it was really cool to help out where it was needed,” he said. 

As the start of the game inched closer, Begay-Smith and SRPMIC Council member Su:k Fulwilder threw out the ceremonial first pitches, one to each team. The two received rousing applause as they made their way to the pitcher’s mound. 

As far as the pitches? Of course, each one made its way across home plate for a strike and landed in the gloves of Rockies and Diamondbacks players.

Begay-Smith showed zero nerves while out on the pitcher’s mound. “It was really cool,” she said post-pitch. The moment served as the first time Begay-Smith had ever thrown out a ceremonial first pitch at a baseball game. Her father, Whitney Grey Jr., a renowned baseball expert and coach himself, smiled like a proud dad after his daughter threw a textbook strike from the mound in front of the stadium’s crowd. 

Additional Community showcasing included the sports photography debut of Rayann Johnson, a sixth-grader at Salt River Schools and a member of Salt River Elementary School’s Eagles Club photography group. 

After some collaborative help from O’odham Action News and Salt River Schools, Johnson received exclusive on-field access for all the pregame festivities to capture moments with her camera from her perspective. She also spent time in the media green room, soaking up the atmosphere and the experience of working behind the scenes at a Diamondbacks game with fellow media entities such as KPNX-TV channel 12 and the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. 

Salt River Schools staff member Hannah Lewis was Johnson’s chaperone and ensured she was always safe. Lewis also helps teach the Eagles Club. Johnson and Lewis ended their day and celebrated a job well done with some sweet snacks from the concessions. 

To put the cherry on top of the day at Salt River Fields, the Diamondbacks took the first round and beat the Rockies to the tune of 3-2. 

All photos by OAN staff, except where noted.