Washington Nationals' Jim Riggleman & A Glove Of Their Own: A Winning Team

*Jim Riggleman has taken a long, winding road to arrive back in the DC suburbs. The 58 year old manager of the Washington Nationals graduated from Rockville High School (Rockville, MD) and attended Frostburg State University (Frostburg, MD), where he starred on the Bobcats baseball team. He was drafted as an infielder by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1974. His playing career eventually peaked out at Triple A with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1979. He retired after the 1981 campaign at the age of 28.

Jim Riggleman was always regarded as a heady player with a keen knowledge of the game. Coaching was a logical progression. He remained in the St. Louis organization as manager of the St. Petersburg Cardinals, a Class A affiliate.

He would eventually reach the Triple A level as manager with the San Diego Padres organization. After Padres skipper, Greg Riddoch, was fired toward the end of the 1993 season, Riggleman took the helm and was retained through the 1994 season.

His next managerial opportunity was with the Chicago Cubs in 1995. In 1998, he led the Northsiders to a wild card postseason appearance that ultimately resulted in a loss to the Atlanta Braves. He would manage the Cubs through the 1999 season.

After stints as a bench coach and interim manager with the Seattle Mariners, that pattern continued with the new Washington Nationals in 2009. Riggleman was named manager of the Nats in July of 2009 after Manny Acta was relieved of duties. He heads into his second full season in DC.

The young Nationals have responded well to Riggleman's steady hand at the helm. The team is loaded with promising talent like power pitcher, Stephen Strasburg (currently rehabbing from elbow surgery), and teen power-hitting sensation, Bryce Harper. The future is bright for baseball in your nation's capital.

Jim Riggleman is a family man and a father. He's finally back home again. When he read the book, A Glove Of Their Own, he was deeply touched. He was captivated by its story. Obviously its theme of playing baseball as a young lad caught his eye, but the book is so much more. Its message is a powerful one. In fact, it is so powerful that Riggleman has brought along his own batting coach, Rick Eckstein,and starting shortstop, Ian Desmond, to join the cause.

Bob Salomon is the co-creator and driving force behind the A Glove Of Their Own. He had read my CultureMob blog many times. He knew that I was a retired elementary school teacher and that I covered the Washington Redskins.

I did over three thousand read alouds during my three decades in the classroom. As the sports editor for JuniorRank, the preeminent youth football camp organization in the nation, it is obvious that I love sports. This book was long one of my favorites. It is also one of my students' favorites. Every time I read it to them, I would stress the book’s message of sharing and kindness along with sharing my own childhood memories.

We never had enough equipment growing up poor in Northeast Pennsylvania. We, too, played on a field covered in rocks with no bases. The happiest day for us was when the Archbald Athletic Complex opened up just up the road from that rock field. This book has the power to stir memories in grownups. My first article on the book, "All-Pro Act of Kindness," was my final piece for CultureMob and became an Internet sensation.

A Glove of Their Own has its own life force because of its effect on adults who play and love the game, like Riggleman, Eckstein and Desmond. The award-winning book has become so popular that baseball icons like Yogi Berra and Joe Torre have jumped on board. Dozens of other professional players from baseball, including current stars Michael Cuddyer and Nelson Cruz, as well as pros from other sports support the cause.

Salomon’s book has generated funds for over forty non-profit charitable causes such as Cheerful Givers, Covenant House, the Joe Nierko Foundation, and World Baseball Outreach. Major sports corporations like Rawlings, Upper Deck, Louisville Slugger and Modell’s Sporting Goods have joined the cause. Fellow Jersey native Jim Watson, the CEO of New Egypt Entertainment, has befriended Bob Salomon and is instrumental in promoting the book. A football follow-up is in the offing.

"It is my goal to get A Glove Of Their Own in the hands of every Nationals player. Every major league player. Its baseball theme is apparent. But I believe that with quality people like Jim Riggleman on board and knowing the charitable potential the book generates, many more good baseball people will join us. Together we can benefit needy, underprivileged youngsters in this community. In every community," said Bob Salomon.

I, too, remain a loyal believer in Bob Salomon and the message of the Glove. That's why I wrote this follow-up. You really can make a difference in a kid’s life: A little can go a long way. Giving back and extending friendship is written between the lines of A Glove of Their Own; a story of kids who play with little, worn-out equipment, without coaches or concession stands, all for the love of the game. Salomon’s goal is to heighten awareness, raise funds, and motivate everyone to play the game forward. Whether you donate your old equipment, organize a community collection, or donate funds to the dedicated organizations I mentioned earlier, you will positively impact the life of a needy child.