On Tuesday, August 9, I had the opportunity to watch Cal Raleigh in action with the Seattle Mariners as they took on the New York Yankees at T-Mobile Park, battling for 13 innings before earning the walk off win. For me, this wasn’t just another Major League game; it was the opportunity to watch a piece of Vermont sports history come full circle. While Cal wasn’t born in Vermont, his family has a long and storied history with Vermont baseball, and for many in Franklin County, his rise to the MLB was a cause for celebration.
My husband Adam and I arrived at the park an hour and a half before game time and had the pleasure of watching Cal take the field to stretch out with the team. Before we saw him, we heard the Seattle faithful cheer as he carried his gear out of the dugout. He smiled and waved to the crowd, acknowledging their excitement.
And they’ve had a lot to be excited about. Cal has led the American League in homeruns by a catcher this summer. As of this writing, he’s knocked 16 balls out of the park. The night we watched him play, he sent a ball soaring foul, and it was clear he’s got plenty of power. We watched him rope a double to the right field corner and easily arrive at second base.
Behind the plate, Cal was a calm, steady presence, working well with the newly acquired Luis Castillo and gunning down an aggressive New York Yankee attempting to steal second. Around us, we heard people speak about what promise he has for the club.
As I sat behind home plate watching Cal, I thought about my interviews with Cal’s father Todd and his uncle Matt and with their high school coach Larry Tremblay and their brother John’s high school coach Jack Eldridge. I thought about Cal’s grandmother Doris Raleigh back in Vermont and all his cousins, aunts, and uncles. I thought of the Raleigh brother’s teammates and the beautiful John R. Raleigh Memorial Field in Swanton, named after Cal’s uncle.
All these people have been part of this story far longer than I have, but they’ve all been generous with me, sharing the stories that are woven into their lives and are part of Cal’s larger story.
Cal Raleigh works behind the plate at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, WA.
Over the years, I’ve been blessed with opportunities to get to know several members of the Raleigh family, including Cal, and each time I talk with them, I’m reminded of what loyal, humble, and determined people they are.
This spring, Cal’s father Todd, his uncle Matt, and his Uncle John (1963-1983) were inducted into the Vermont Principal’s Association Hall of Fame–together. Todd and Matt were outstanding baseball players at Missisquoi Valley Union High School in Swanton, VT, where they were part of three Vermont Division I baseball titles. John, the oldest of the brothers, also won titles in baseball and soccer.
Todd and Matt went on to play Division I college baseball at Western Carolina University. After college, Todd coached baseball at Western Carolina and Tennessee; Matt was drafted in the 14th round by the Montreal Expos in 1992. And in 2018, Cal was drafted in the 3rd round by the Seattle Mariners.
In the fall of 2020, I had the chance to interview Cal, and I can still remember his soft spoken, friendly manner. He talked with me like he’d known me all his life. He spoke of his love of the game of baseball, his family, and the state of Vermont. He was proud of his family’s Franklin County heritage and the family still lives in the Swanton area.
Cal Raleigh wears the number 29 in honor of his uncle, John Raleigh, who played baseball for Missisquoi Valley Union High School in Swanton, VT.
Anyone who knows the Raleigh family knows that Cal’s MLB number wasn’t a random pick. He chose that number in honor of his Uncle John, a man he never met, but who still leaves an impact on those who knew him and folks like me who never did. I’ve got a feeling Cal’s the same type of person, and I’m pretty sure he’s the perfect person to wear the number 29.
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