Police Take Aim at Firefighters in Inaugural Softball Game

A friendly rivalry was spawned as part of the opening of the Fallon Sports Park.  The Dublin Police Department and the Alameda County firefighters squared off in a spirited softball game that the police won in extra innings 10-8.

While the two public safety agencies have a very close camaraderie on the job, this game was for fun – and, of course, a little bit of pride.

"Do you know what firemen and police officers have in common? They all want to be firefighters," said Alameda County firefighter and catcher Paul Mahar.

"Do you know why God invented policemen?  So that firefighters could have heroes," countered Dublin Police Officer Brian Martinez, coach of the cops' team.

Out on the very beautiful and manicured new softball field, the two sides were all business, as a nice-sized crowd took in the game in celebration of the official opening of the new sports park on Aug. 28th. 

To size up the two teams visually, you would have guessed that the larger statured firefighters team was going to roll over the P.D., and that looked like it would be the case through the first four innings as the firefighters took an 8-5 lead behind three home runs, including two by first baseman Sam Lobese. 

But, police are used to slow and steady detective work. They chipped away at the firefighters' lead and actually held the guys with the axes scoreless the final four innings before putting the game away in the eighth with five consecutive hits, including what turned out to be the game winners from Steve Brown and Channing Rhodes.

Despite the loss, firefighter/paramedic Dan Burke thinks the game was a terrific way to inaugurate the park and says his team is ready for a rematch.

"This was a great idea to open up the park. I'm sure it will start a new (annual) tradition."

"This was an awesome deal," added winning coach Martinez. "It's a great way to build camaraderie."

Perhaps the outcome held a little bit of Irish karma.  All of the Police Services team work in Dublin, while the firefighters brought in some players whose firehouses are outside of the city.