BY WENDI REARDON PRICE
Clarkston News Sports Writer
The Tigers of Pine Knob Elementary excitedly welcomed Detroit Tiger Sam Palace with a growl during his visit on June 1.
“It’s surreal,” said Palace, a 2004 Clarkston High School graduate. “I am just glad I can pass down anything they can take with them. I really enjoyed Mrs. (Julie) Brookes had me out here. I had fun with the kids.”
He smiled and added, “it was fun because they asked so many questions. I was nervous doing this – kids, they are locked in on you.”
Before Palace answered questions from the students and signed autographs he shared the importance of setting goals now.
“The advice I have for you is I would start thinking about goals,” he said. “Things you want to do, things you want to accomplish whether it’s to be a teacher, be a dentist, be the President of the United States of America or be a football player. Start working towards it and setting yourself apart. Do whatever you can as often as you can to be the best at achieving your goals.”

Palace, now in his second year as a bullpen catcher for the Detroit Tigers, explained he set his goal in elementary school to play baseball.
“It’s all I wanted to do,” he said. “I never thought about anything else. I wanted to play baseball so I worked very hard. My dad helped me out a lot.”
On his journey to his goal he shared he wouldn’t play with his friends until he took a few 100 swings off the tee.
“It was just something I came up with my dad and it helped me stay focused on my goal,” Palace said, adding he never veered from his goal.
While focusing on his ultimate goal he shared he listened to his parents and teachers. He worked on getting good grades.
“If you don’t get good grades you can’t be in athletics or go into higher education,” he said. “Study hard and have fun.”
He shared with The Clarkston News his time in Clarkston Community Schools impacted him.
“Tremendously,” Palace described. “The teachers I had put me on the right track. School took work for more, and I knew I needed good grades. It was hard for me, but the teachers were willing to work with me with whatever it was.”
Palace shared his baseball journey which began when his parents signed him up when he was three-years-old. He began loving it when he was six-years-old and began playing organized T-Ball.
He knew he wanted a career in baseball when he was around 5/6-years-old and remembered the moment he knew.
“I went to a Detroit Tigers game with my parents,” he shared. “Cecil Fielder was still playing. He hit a home run out of stadium and everyone went crazy. I remember thinking I want to do that. It was unbelievable and something I don’t forget.”
His dad and grandpa both played baseball and Palace said they were able to push him in the right direction.
“They loved it and in turn I loved it,” he smiled. “They coached it so I got to be around it more. It was really cool.”
Along the way he played with the Clarkston Riverdawgs with his dad, Joe Palace, as his coach before playing for Clarkston High School, Kent State University and Florida Institute of Technology.
Palace started his career playing with the Washington Nationals. He explained when Jordan Zimmerman joined the Detroit Tigers he wanted to bring Palace with him.
“I had to decide to keep playing in the minor leagues at 27-years-old and getting to the big leagues when older playing with younger guys,” he shared. “This was my opportunity to be in the big league as a bullpen catcher. I had to take that chance. I am glad I did. It’s less stress. I am very lucky to be with a team close to where I grew up.”
He shared with the students what his day is like. The morning of his visit his plane had landed at 4:40 a.m. after the Tigers defeated Kansas City Royals, 6-5. He arrived home at 5 a.m. Then, he woke up two hours later to get to Pine Knob Elementary.
He added at noon he would be at a bullpen session with Justin Verlander. Palace explained even though there wasn’t a game or practice Verlander has to stay on his schedule and throw pitches.
Part of his job is knowing and doing the hand signals as the pitchers want Palace to call the pitch and know the pitch.
“Like Verlander knows what he wants to pitch,” Palace said. “I also have to know batters. I go over scouting reports – what hitters like to do and for pitchers as well.”
Palace described the ball coming at him as a blurry aspiring going 100 miles per hour and moving all over the place.
“It’s not easy,” he said. “I give the hitters a lot of credit.”
Palace added when a pitcher he warmed up does well he takes some pride in it.

“It’s one of those things I get excited about when they call down for a pitcher to start getting loose,” he said. “I run out there and want the the pitcher to feel as good as he can.”

Here are some of the questions Pine Knob students had for Palace during his visit:
Questions from second and third graders:
Why baseball instead of other sports? I loved all sports. I really loved football but then I went on a college recruitment visit for football I saw how big those football players were and it made me a little nervous because they are huge. I thought maybe I would have a longer career in baseball by not taking the hits in football.
Who were your coaches in football? (Asked by Jackson Miller) Jackson’s dad (Tony Miller) was one of them. He was one of my favorite football coaches. We also had Kurt Richardson. I loved playing football for the Wolves.
Do I like to be on TV? Yes, it’s fun.
Do you have arguments with teammates? We do have arguments. It’s like having arguments with your brothers and sisters – you know it’s going to be okay the next day. Sometimes you get into some arguments and fights, but then you remember you want to win a game and everybody gets over it.
What do you do when you lose a game ? It’s a little more quiet. Brad Ausmus, our manager, may say a little something about the game that night. We usually won’t address it until the next day. Usually everyone is quiet because everyone wants to win especially for the fans of Detroit. Everyone feels an obligation to give their best and if they don’t think they did it’s very quiet. But if we win there are smoke machines and music playing. It doesn’t matter who it is against it is a big fun party.
Favorite team growing up? I always liked the Tigers and New York Yankees.
Favorite baseball player right now? Ian Desmond, he plays for the Colorado Rockies. But my favorite player of all time is Ken Griffey, Jr.
Favorite football player? Matthew Stafford
Favorite animal? A bear. Tiger is number two. Bear is my favorite. They sleep all winter kind of like me.
Do you have a dog? I don’t have a dog currently but my wife (AJ) is begging me to get a dog.
What kind of dog would you get? If I had a choice I would get a bulldog. I like them. I want one of them. I don’t know if I have the choice. You would have to ask her (AJ).
What is your favorite thing to do? My favorite thing to do besides play baseball is play guitar. I love playing music. My dad plays, too. My favorite song – that’s a tough one. I like Ed Sheeran a lot.
Why do I like music and baseball? I always like people watching me when I perform. When you are playing sports you are putting on a performance for everybody. Music is the same way – have people watch, interact with them. It’s always been fun for me.
Favorite book? The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Favorite color? Orange.
Favorite video game? Super Mario Bros
Favorite food? Definitely pizza
Favorite subject in school? Creative writing. Get to use imagination.
Favorite stuffed animal? I had a stuffed dog. His name was Bruno.

Questions from fourth and fifth graders:
Has Justin Verlander ever hurt your hand? Yes. He has definitely hurt my hand. I don’t know if you can tell but my finger is twice the size as this one because it is always hitting that finger.
Have you broken your hand catching a ball? I fractured my hand during spring training this year. You can still see where it hit. I caught a foul ball during the game. It hit me right in the bare hand.
Who is your favorite Detroit Tiger? Jordan Zimmerman. I like him a lot. Also, Miguel Cabrera
Favorite position? Catcher because I think any other position I would have a hard time standing around. Catcher I get the ball every pitch. When I played other positions I found myself looking around.
Least favorite position? Outfield. It’s hard. I played the position in college.
What position did you play when your first started ? Short stop.
Word of encouragement? Positive attitude. With a positive attitude you can do anything, you have a good chance of being extremely dedicated, having dedication and desire to accomplish your goals and do whatever you want.
What are you obsessed with? Playing guitar. I love music.

  Detroit Tigers, Pine Knob Elementary, Sam Palace