http://www.sfgate.com/local/article/Barry-Bonds-among-star-athletes-evacuated-from-12265500.php
Barry Bonds among athletes who flee “crazy” Wine Country fire scene
Updated 5:42 pm, Thursday, October 12, 2017
The remains of a car sits near the Fountaingrove Inn Hotel as it burns at rear in Santa Rosa, Calif., Monday, Oct. 9, 2017. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
The remains of a car sits near the Fountaingrove Inn Hotel as it burns at rear in Santa Rosa, Calif., Monday, Oct. 9, 2017. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Smoke and fire rise from the Fountaingrove Inn Hotel as it burns in Santa Rosa, Calif., Monday, Oct. 9, 2017. Wildfires whipped by powerful winds swept through Northern California early Monday, sending residents on a headlong flight to safety through smoke and flames as homes burned. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
lessSmoke and fire rise from the Fountaingrove Inn Hotel as it burns in Santa Rosa, Calif., Monday, Oct. 9, 2017. Wildfires whipped by powerful winds swept through Northern California early Monday, sending
... moreDestruction in the Fountaingrove area on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017, in Santa Rosa, Calif. Wildfires whipped by powerful winds swept through Northern California early Monday, sending residents on a headlong flight to safety through smoke and flames as homes burned. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
lessDestruction in the Fountaingrove area on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017, in Santa Rosa, Calif. Wildfires whipped by powerful winds swept through Northern California early Monday, sending residents on a headlong flight to
... moreJim Stites watches part of his neighborhood burn in Fountaingrove, Calif., Monday Oct. 9, 2017. More than a dozen wildfires whipped by powerful winds been burning though California wine country. The flames have destroyed at least 1,500 homes and businesses and sent thousands of people fleeing. (Kent Porter/The Press Democrat via AP)
lessJim Stites watches part of his neighborhood burn in Fountaingrove, Calif., Monday Oct. 9, 2017. More than a dozen wildfires whipped by powerful winds been burning though California wine country. The flames have
... moreCaroll Niel leans on her husband, firefighter Tony Niel, in the motorhome where they are staying following the Tubbs fire on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017, in Forestville, Calif.
Caroll Niel leans on her husband, firefighter Tony Niel, in the motorhome where they are staying following the Tubbs fire on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017, in Forestville, Calif.
Santa Rosa Assistant Fire Marshal Paul Lowenthal walks through his Oxford Ct. residence, which burned during the Tubbs fire, on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017, in Santa Rosa.
Santa Rosa Assistant Fire Marshal Paul Lowenthal walks through his Oxford Ct. residence, which burned during the Tubbs fire, on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017, in Santa Rosa.
A man shows a burnt paper after a wildfire moved through the area in Santa Rosa and Napa Valley in California, United States on October 13, 2017. Massive out-of-controls wildfires have claimed at least 31 people and destroyed 3,500 homes in Northern California as the deadliest in state history. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
lessA man shows a burnt paper after a wildfire moved through the area in Santa Rosa and Napa Valley in California, United States on October 13, 2017. Massive out-of-controls wildfires have claimed at least 31
... moreThe remains are seen after a wildfire moved through the area in Santa Rosa and Napa Valley in California, United States on October 13, 2017. Massive out-of-controls wildfires have claimed at least 31 people and destroyed 3,500 homes in Northern California as the deadliest in state history. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
lessThe remains are seen after a wildfire moved through the area in Santa Rosa and Napa Valley in California, United States on October 13, 2017. Massive out-of-controls wildfires have claimed at least 31 people and
... moreChrystal Couto holds a poster of her grandmother as Aaron Austin looks on in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017. The couple from Redway, are searching for Couto's grandmother and her husband, who haven't been heard from since a wildfire tore through the older couple's Santa Rosa neighborhood. They are hanging flyers in evacuation centers with photos of the older couple. (AP Photo/Paul Elias)
lessChrystal Couto holds a poster of her grandmother as Aaron Austin looks on in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017. The couple from Redway, are searching for Couto's grandmother and her husband, who
... moreFlowers mark the spot where their father died as Chuck and Mike (R) Rippey stand in the ruins of the house of 100-year-old Charles and 98-year-old Sara Rippey, who were killed in the Atlas Fire just after it began, on October 12, 2017 near Napa, California. Thousands homes have burned and two dozen people have been confirmed dead so far as numerous wildfires continue to spread in eight Northern California counties. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
lessFlowers mark the spot where their father died as Chuck and Mike (R) Rippey stand in the ruins of the house of 100-year-old Charles and 98-year-old Sara Rippey, who were killed in the Atlas Fire just after it
... moreIn this Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017, photo provided by Sam Brinkerhoff, his wife Monica Brinkerhoff takes a photo of her wedding ring that was found in the burned remains of her home in Santa Rosa, Calif. She had hoped to retrieve a passport from her fire-resistant safe, but that too was consumed by the flames. She wasn't prepared for what she did find, the couple's soot-covered engagement rings, with a pair of etched hearts still visible on one of the bands. (Sam Brinkerhoff via AP)
lessIn this Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017, photo provided by Sam Brinkerhoff, his wife Monica Brinkerhoff takes a photo of her wedding ring that was found in the burned remains of her home in Santa Rosa, Calif. She had
... moreFirefighters try to extinguish a house fire during the Tubbs Fire on October 12, 2017 near Calistoga, California. At least thirty one people have died in wildfires that have burned tens of thousands of acres and destroyed over 3,500 homes and businesses in several Northern California counties. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
lessFirefighters try to extinguish a house fire during the Tubbs Fire on October 12, 2017 near Calistoga, California. At least thirty one people have died in wildfires that have burned tens of thousands of acres
... moreA CalFire chief runs past burning grass during a firing operation while battling the Tubbs Fire on October 12, 2017 near Calistoga, California. At least thirty one people have died in wildfires that have burned tens of thousands of acres and destroyed over 3,500 homes and businesses in several Northern California counties. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
lessA CalFire chief runs past burning grass during a firing operation while battling the Tubbs Fire on October 12, 2017 near Calistoga, California. At least thirty one people have died in wildfires that have burned
... moreA CalFire firefighter uses a hand tool as he monitors a firing operation while battling the Tubbs Fire on October 12, 2017 near Calistoga, California. At least thirty one people have died in wildfires that have burned tens of thousands of acres and destroyed over 3,500 homes and businesses in several Northern California counties. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
lessA CalFire firefighter uses a hand tool as he monitors a firing operation while battling the Tubbs Fire on October 12, 2017 near Calistoga, California. At least thirty one people have died in wildfires that have
... moreThe Puerta la Cruz female inmate firefighter crew clears vegetation near homes in Dry Creek Canyon to try to save them as the Partrick Fire approaches on October 12, 2017 west of Napa, California. Inmate hand crews work under the supervision of Cal Fire, which refers to them as firefighters rather than prisoners because they perform the same job as the elite Hot Shot firefighter crews. Thousands of homes have burned, at least 31 people confirmed killed with hundreds still missing as California wildfires continue to spread out of control. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
lessThe Puerta la Cruz female inmate firefighter crew clears vegetation near homes in Dry Creek Canyon to try to save them as the Partrick Fire approaches on October 12, 2017 west of Napa, California. Inmate hand
... moreFirefighters try to extinguish a house fire during the Tubbs Fire on October 12, 2017 near Calistoga, California. At least thirty one people have died in wildfires that have burned tens of thousands of acres and destroyed over 3,500 homes and businesses in several Northern California counties. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
lessFirefighters try to extinguish a house fire during the Tubbs Fire on October 12, 2017 near Calistoga, California. At least thirty one people have died in wildfires that have burned tens of thousands of acres
... moreA grove of trees near Trinity Road glows as it burns near a vineyard after a mandatory evacuation was called in the area of Glen Ellen, Calif., on Wednesday, October 11, 2017. The Napa and Sonoma valleys continue to be under threat from several fires not yet under control and growing fears that strong winds might worsen the situation.
lessA grove of trees near Trinity Road glows as it burns near a vineyard after a mandatory evacuation was called in the area of Glen Ellen, Calif., on Wednesday, October 11, 2017. The Napa and Sonoma valleys
... moreA who’s who of athletes — Olympians, Hall of Famers — fled the Wine Country fires early Monday morning after attending Ronnie Lott’s celebrity fundraiser at Mayacama Golf Club in Santa Rosa.
Former Giants outfielder Barry Bonds wound up shuttling guests who did not have rides away from Mayacama when the villas at the course were evacuated. Longtime Kansas City pitcher Bret Saberhagen left his golf clubs in the parking lot in order to fit Olympic speedskater Dan Jansen and his wife into his rental car. And onetime Dodgers closer Eric Gagne raised the alarm at a second hotel to which the celebrities were sent, pounding on doors to make sure occupants were out.
“It was a crazy, surreal night,” Saberhagen said after flying home to Southern California on Monday. “I was out on the balcony at Mayacama when the power went out and sat down, and saw the moon come up. It was very nice. And then I saw the moon turn orange and it started getting lighter and lighter. I saw the fire coming over the ridge and I could hear propane and gas tanks popping.”
Saberhagen alerted Jansen and Toronto 1993 World Series hero Joe Carter about the fire, and 20 minutes later, just after midnight, they were told to evacuate, so Saberhagen dumped his clubs and set out with the Jansens to a second hotel, where there was no more room. They were sent to a Best Western, and an hour after checking in, at about 2:30 a.m., Gagne was at the door.
“Eric was yelling, ‘Get up, get up,’ knocking at every door, and when I opened the door, smoke billowed in and I could see areas on fire,” Saberhagen said. “There was a telephone pole on fire, the grounds were on fire, ashes were flying all over the place, and what really scared me was that there was a gas station across the street.”
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Wine Country Fires
Media: San Francisco ChronicleSaberhagen and the Jansens raced to the car, and hopped on Highway 12, at one point passing a car that was engulfed in flames. They drove all the way to San Martin in southern Santa Clara County to spend the night. Hall of Fame hockey goalie Grant Fuhr and his wife weren’t able to find rides, Saberhagen said, and they had had to flag down a stranger, who drove them to San Francisco — a journey that took six hours.
According to Saberhagen and other attendees, UFC fighter Henry Cejudo didn’t evacuate from the Fountaingrove Inn in Santa Rosa and broke his ankle jumping from a second-story balcony.
Bonds also attended the event and was staying at Mayacama, according to friend Eric Byrnes. The ex-A’s outfielder and current MLB Network analyst told The Chronicle that he spoke to Bonds on Monday.
“Barry said, ‘You’re not going to believe this. It was crazy,’” Byrnes said. “When he walked out of his bungalow, the flames were right there, so he bounced out of there, and because so many people didn’t have cars, he was taking them all to the next hotel. He made multiple trips. He got evacuated again from that next hotel, but Barry was anticipating it, he said, ‘I know the fire is coming down here.’ It sounded really chaotic.”
Another attendee of Lott’s event, former 49ers and Mariners equipment man Ted Walsh, lives in the Fountaingrove neighborhood in Santa Rosa, and after he returned home, awoke to pounding on his front door at 2 a.m.
“I opened the door and there was swirling, hot air, and I could see all the police and firetruck lights,” Walsh said. “They said, ‘Evacuate now.’ I got my wife, kids and the dog and we were gone in five minutes.”
Walsh, wife Cybele and children Davis, 9, and Sabina, 8, and dog Lucky are fine, but the house went up in flames. A neighbor hiked up for a look and saw the entire court was gone.
Among Walsh’s prized possessions, lost in the fire: five Super Bowl rings and the gold medal he received at this year’s World Baseball Classic, along with many signed jerseys and other memorabilia.
“A lot of good stuff,” Walsh said. “There’s nothing left. We’re just shell-shocked. But this is when you find out who your friends really are, and so many people have reached out to us already.”
Susan Slusser is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @susanslusser
