A's to Honor Fallen Hayward Sergeant During Pre-Game Ceremony Sunday

The Oakland A’s will hold special pre-game ceremonies Sunday in honor of a Hayward police sergeant who was shot and killed during a traffic stop last month, team officials said. Oakland A’s legend Rickey Henderson will catch a ceremonial first pitch from Sgt. Scott Lunger’s father, according to the team.

Lunger was a devoted Oakland A’s fan and Henderson, the league record holder for career stolen bases, was his favorite player. Pre-game ceremonies will begin at 12:45 p.m. Sunday before the A’s take on the Houston Astros at 1:05 p.m. Lunger, 48, was shot and killed near Myrtle and Lion streets in Hayward at about 3:15 a.m. on July 22. Mark Estrada, 21, was arrested in connection with the shooting later that day and is facing murder charges.

In addition to the ceremonial first pitch, the A’s will hang a jersey with Lunger’s name in the dugout and will wear commemorative hats during batting practice. The hats will be auctioned off to benefit the Hayward Police Officers’ Association, team officials said. Lunger’s own baseball team, the Tri-Valley A’s, will be on the field with the Oakland A’s players during the national anthem.

Robert Payne of the San Jose Police Department will perform the anthem on trumpet. The A’s had previously planned Sunday as a Law Enforcement Day and added the ceremonies for Lunger after news of his tragic death broke and team officials learned he was a fan.

Over the last week, the team has collected hundreds of letters from fellow A’s fans for the family, according to A’s pitcher Sean Doolittle. An estimated 5,000 people attended a funeral for Lunger at Oracle Arena in Oakland last week.

Full coverage of the fatal shooting on Patch:

• East Bay Community Remembers, Says Goodbye to Slain Hayward Sergeant
• Suspect is in Custody for Fatal Shooting of Officer
• Thousands Gather for Slain Hayward Officer’s Funeral Service
• Suspect Charged with Murder for Death of Hayward Police Sergeant
• In Photos: Candlelight Vigil for Sergeant Scott Lunger
• Police Sergeant Fatally Shot During Traffic Stop in Hayward
• Community Takes to Social Media to Mourn Loss of Hayward Police Sergeant
• Candlelight Vigil for Fallen Hayward Police Sergeant
• Slain Police Sergeant Remembered as ‘Ideal Officer’

By Bay City News

Photo courtesy Hayward Police