While it is the dream of every young baseball player to visit Cooperstown, New York where the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is located, Ete’tish Arviso made it a reality. Through his fundraising efforts the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians Tribal member was able to join his baseball travel team SoCal Bombers to play against some of the best 12U teams in the country.
He began raising money in November 2023 to ensure his trip could take place from July 23-31. Ete’tish, 12, said his favorite parts of the trip were, “Going to the Baseball Hall of Fame, seeing Babe Ruth’s uniform, getting to step foot on the historic Doubleday Field, and going to the memorabilia stores where I got my baseball cards with my dad.”
They got a lot of baseball trading cards and were able to pick out and purchase some rookie cards at the National Baseball Hall of Fame, such as Shohei Ohtani, Trea Turner, Ken Griffey Jr. and Bo Jackson.
The SoCal Bombers, out of Murrieta, were among the 72 teams that played at Cooperstown All Star Village, a world-class baseball tournament and family resort located just outside the birthplace of baseball: Cooperstown, New York. In addition to major league style baseball fields and amenities, it offers luxurious onsite accommodations for the whole family.
Having his parents Nathaniel and Melissa Arviso share part of the trip with him was an unexpected surprise for Ete’tish. He said, “When I first headed to New York, I left with one of my teammates and his mom. Two days later, before my first game was to start at Cooperstown, my mom and dad showed up to surprise me; I was happy to see them.”
The eight-day trip also included some other sightseeing activities. “My first day there, I spent sightseeing in New York City with one of my teammates and his parents; I also got to visit the 9/11 memorial site,” he said.
Eti’tish has been playing baseball since he was three years old, when his father bought him his first glove and would play catch with him outside. “But my love for the game has been since I was a baby; my parents have a picture of me in my baby swing watching the Angels play. My mom tells me when I would cry, she would just put a baseball game on and I would stop crying.”
His all-time favorite baseball players are Mike Trout #27 from the Angels and Jackie Robinson. He was able to see Trout’s uniform in person at the Hall of Fame Museum.
The young athlete was pleased to have the support of family members who provided opportunities for him to raise the necessary funds for his trip. “I was able to have a couple of food sales for fundraising, as well as donations from my Tribe, my aunties Adela Kolb and Mia Gonzalez, my cousin Melissa, Mrs. Yvonne Silvas and my Grandma Frances Basquez. Tara Placencia, Tatiana Diaz and my mom hosted a snack bar at a tournament for the first food fundraiser and my second food fundraiser, which was an Indian Taco sale, was done by Frybread kitchen (Antonia Briones and Aurelia Mendoza) who donated their time as well as food to help me. I am forever grateful for them wanting to make my trip possible.”
He said since returning home he has only been able to talk with a couple of the people who helped him raise the funds. “My baseball schedule has me so busy I haven’t really had the time to sit and visit with the others, but I did think of them on my trip and got them souvenirs from where I played at,” Ete’tish said. “In December, I get a small break from baseball, so I plan on seeing them to give them their gifts and just thank them again for believing in me and how much they helped me live this dream out.”
One of his older cousins, Kris Arrietta who also plays for the same travel ball organization, went to Cooperstown when he was 12. Both describe the trip as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
For more information, https://baseballhall.org.
