NINE THE
BACK LUIS GONZALES Going Gonzo
Ex-D-Backs star talks golf, family and baseball
By John Davis
for delivering the dramatic hit that won the 2001 World Series in the ninth inning of Game 7 against Yankees relief legend Mariano Rivera at Chase Field. He played for the Diamondbacks from
F
1999 to 2006, was the team’s first player to have his jersey retired and returned to the organization in 2009 as an assistant to team President and CEO Derrick Hall. In that role, he serves as a goodwill
ambassador, supporting numerous charity efforts and interacting with children at the team’s baseball camp, and in 2010, created the “Going Gonzo for Kids” initiative. As the D-Backs prepare to open their
20th season, with players reporting to spring training in February, Gonzo still holds team records in nearly every offensive category and is one of only 19 players in major league history to collect at least 2,500 hits, 500 doubles, 350 home runs and 1,000 RBIs. He was a five-time All-Star, has
been named to four halls of fame and has received the Branch Rickey Award, presented for community contributions and for serving as a strong role model for others. If all of that isn’t enough, last June he turned superhero, helping pull a
26 | AZ GOLF Insider | PREVIEW 2018
or many, Luis Gonzalez remains the face of the Diamondbacks even though he hasn’t played for that team in more than a decade. “Gonzo” is best remembered
Luis Gonzalez
woman to safety moments after a fiery, head-on crash in Paradise Valley. He and his wife, Christine, are
the parents of triplets, including son Jacob, who was drafted 58th overall by the San Francisco Giants in 2017 after starring as an infielder at Scottsdale Chaparral. In his first season in the Arizona Rookie League, Jacob batted .339 and was named to the All-Star team. Recently, at the Diamondbacks’
annual Celebrity Golf Classic at Whirlwind Golf Club to benefit military members and their families, Gonzo talked to AZ Golf Insider about his fledgling golf game, World Series memories and what he sees ahead for his son and the D-Backs:
10 How would you describe your current golf game?
My so-called game is at a low
point right now, not that it ever was very good. I only play in events like this, which I really enjoy because I get to meet so many interesting people and spend time interacting with them. I rarely go out and play golf with a group of friends. I am definitely a casual golfer.
11 So you didn’t hang out on golf courses with pitchers during your career?
No. The pitchers are amazing.
They had more off days than I did, so they took golf clubs with them everywhere they went. I went to shopping malls. I can’t tell you where
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ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
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