Local 49er Caps a Major League Career with a Big League Pitch
“Now pitching for the
With that announcement, the sold out crowd at Target Field on June 16 witnessed a special ceremonial first pitch by Local 49er Steve Haro. Adorned with a Twins Jersey with his favorite number (49), Steve threw a perfect strike down the center of the plate. The honor was bestowed upon Steve because of his leadership with Local 49 and his upcoming retirement.
Being on “the hill” at Target Field was extra special for Steve, a huge baseball fan with 16 years of Little League coaching experience in Champlin. As a business agent for Local 49, Steve oversaw the work of all the 49ers on the Target Field project.
“From arenas to skyscrapers, operators like Steve have literally built our community,” said Glen Johnson, Local 49’s business manager. “We owe these operators great thanks for their dedication and hard work.”
That sense of gratitude was extremely evident as the Twins honored 15 local construction trade unions for their work on Target Field at the June 16 game versus the Colorado Rockies. As part of the ceremony Steve was picked from among his peers as the man to make the first pitch.
“This is a great honor, not only for me, but for all of my brothers and sisters in the union,” said Steve. “This project is very special to me because of the impact it will have on the entire state.”
At the urging of his father, a union carpenter, Steve joined Local 49 when he was just 19-years-old. For much of his career, he has worked as a crane operator for Mortenson Construction. His steady hands helped construct some of the regions’ most high-profile projects, such as the
“I’ve always had a passion for construction work, there’s nothing like the sense of accomplishment you feel working on a job from start to finish,” said Steve. “Thanks to my career as an Operating Engineer, I am going to be able to retire this summer, healthy and happy.”
Congratulations Steve on all of your accomplishments. Here’s to a happy and healthy retirement.