Jones, who turned 108 years old on Saturday, is a great fan of the Seattle Mariners and was at Safeco Field for Saturday’s game between the Angels and Mariners.
Catching for Jones was A-list baseball celebrity, Felix Hernandez. Here’s the video of that first pitch.
After the ceremonial pitch to Hernandez, the Mariners brought out a birthday cake and the entire stadium crowd joined in singing “Happy Birthday” to her.
Jones was born July 11, 1907, in the central Washington town of Leahy. She was married for 55 years and has two daughters. Jones now lives in a retirement community in Woodinville, Washington. According to the Mariners blogsite, Evelyn dons her Mariners uniform for every game. She retreats to her room to watch the broadcast by herself so the other residents don’t interrupt her while she concentrates on the game
When asked the secret to her long life, Evelyn credits it to eating lots of beef and vegetables and drinking alcohol only at Saturday night dances. Good genes may have a lot to do with it, too. Her mom lived to be 89, her father was 95, and an uncle lived to be 104.
Sporting a new Mariners uniform with the number 108 on the back, Jones was escorted onto the field with her daughter, Kay Vea, grandson Brad Vea, and granddaughter Robin Schifferman. Rather than the traditional throw from the pitcher’s mound, Jones lobbed the ball to catcher, Hernandez, who then gave her a big hug and the baseball.
Her daughter said, “She says, ‘I love the Mariners!’ She and my Dad never missed games and she still doesn’t, which I think is pretty good for 108.”
And Jones must have been the Mariners good-luck token on Saturday. They beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-0.
