Chasing third straight national title, Chicago police baseball team finds therapy on the field
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Next month, the Chicago Police Finest baseball team will take on the Chicago Fire Department's Bravest in the annual First Responders Classic at Guaranteed Rate Field.
That's just the lead-up to the CPD Finest's ultimate goal of winning their third straight Police and Fire World Series in Dallas this October.
But, as CBS 2's Jackie Kostek found, their real purpose has nothing to do with how they play the game.
"We try not to talk shop. We try to keep that talk to a minimum," said Officer Vincent Macias, the Chicago Finest team manager.
Out of their CPD uniforms and into their baseball uniforms, for these Chicago police officers – many of them former high school and college baseball players – fielding grounders or getting a glove on a pop fly is a form of therapy.
"We work so much. We don't get too much time off, but when we do, we like to enjoy it with each other. It's a little bit of a decompression from everyday work, stress-related stuff," Macias said.
Officers say the stress of everyday work is high. A significant staffing shortage has led to canceled days off, and the department is mourning the death of three members who died by suicide this month alone.
Last year, Matt Segovia had to sit the season out, after a traumatic night on the job.
"It was about 3, 3:20 in the morning, going to a person with a gun call. We went right through the intersection, and about the next block over, a drunk driver tried to beat us and t-boned our car," he said.
Segovia sustained several fractures to his neck. While he and his partner recovered in the hospital, his teammates held the line for him on the diamond.
"Honestly, my biggest fear was not being able to walk again, or being able to play again; but you know, I've never been more excited to play and come out here, hit balls, throw balls, very grateful," Segovia said.
For the CPD Finest, there's no confusing the goal – to win their third straight national championship - with their purpose – to raise money for the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation.
"It's a brotherhood, and what we do it for, and the reasons we do it. And then working with the Chicago Police Memorial, I think that kids that get on the job, they kind of notice that, hey, this could be one of your families, it could be you, it could be a friend, and I think that's where we get our response," Macias said.
Like a badge, players wear reminders of who they've lost. Macias was good friends with fallen officer Ella French.
"There's always significance when you lose someone, but for her family, for the Chicago Police Memorial, it's honoring," he said.
Macias said that's what they do: leave it all on the field for their brothers and sisters who made the ultimate sacrifice.
The team was founded in 1999. Segovia's dad actually played for the Finest too. And over the years, they've raised more than $175,000 for the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation. Macias hopes to get hat total to more than $200,000 this year.
