By Ryan Gutschenritter

Before they were hitting home runs and chasing down records in the major leagues, Barry Bonds and Rafael Palmeiro were getting ready for their professional careers by playing ball in Hutchinson.
Palmeiro played for the Hutchinson Broncs, Hutch's old semi-pro team, during the 1983 and '84 seasons. Bonds starred for the team in '84, the franchise's final summer.

That also was the last time Hutchinson was an official home to National Baseball Congress play - until Friday, when the NBC World Series will begin playing a portion of its games at Hobart-Detter Field. The national tournament, in its 67th year at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in Wichita, began Aug. 2.

But contrary to what you might think, Bonds, Palmeiro and other Broncs players didn't rent apartments or stay in hotels when they played in Hutch. They stayed with area families.

Broncs owner Nelson Hobart adopted the idea of host families - or summer parents, as they were known - in the team's later years as a way to save money and provide the players with proper meals, shelter and guidance. Hobart, whose players previously stayed in apartments, learned the concept from the Liberal BeeJays and Clarinda, Iowa, A's, also NBC teams.

Hutchinson resident Virg Navarro was one such parent. Navarro and her then-husband, Al, housed Palmeiro in '83 and Bonds in '84.

The Bonds she remembers isn't the arrogant, standoffish personality depicted in the media, either. Navarro, 54, told stories of a young athlete who was an inspiration and role model to her son, Jared, who was 13 at the time.

"He (Bonds) was like a big brother to my son," said Navarro, now divorced and a hostess at Carlos O'Kelly's in Hutch. "They were always together when I was working. He kind of baby-sat for me, too."

Just how personable was Bonds? Navarro said the slugger would take Jared to practices and teach him how to make omelets while she was at work as a receptionist for the city's water department.

In fact, early in his days with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bonds had Jared flown to spring training to be with him. Jared still has the jersey and bat Bonds gave him.

And the relationship didn't end there. Bonds, who played collegiately at Arizona State, encouraged Jared to attend ASU after graduating from Buhler High School. The future Hall of Famer aided with the tuition bill, too.

"He helped us out a lot after he became a pro," Navarro said. "That was just because we took care of him. He wanted to pay us back with something."

Bonds and the Navarros still keep in touch. Jared lives in Tempe, Ariz., now and catches up with the San Francisco Giants outfielder when the team is in town for spring training and when it visits the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The host-family history is littered with similar stories. Almost all of the old summer parents stay in contact with the players who lived with them - be it a letter, Christmas card or phone call.

Herman and May Popp of South Hutchinson hosted Palmeiro, now with the Texas Rangers, in 1984. The Popps estimated they housed 20 players in all from 1981-84.

"We had plenty of bedrooms," said Herman Popp, a 73-year-old retired farmer. "We'd treat 'em good. We had parties for them - not beer parties, but steak feeds and things like that. Barry Bonds didn't stay with us, but he'd eat some meals here."

Like Navarro, ex-Broncs haven't forgotten the Popps. The former host family has received wedding invitations from four players and attended Palmeiro's ceremony in 1986.

"They all were very nice," May Popp said. "They respected us as parents.

"What I remember is that they'd sleep in in the mornings, and I'd work during the day. The first thing I'd do when I got home was fix them a light dinner. When they came home at midnight we'd have a heavy dinner. Not only did we have our group, but usually had a table full."

Besides Bonds and Palmeiro, other future big leaguers to play for the Broncs in the early '80s included Roger Clemens, Mike Stanley, Dan Plesac, Pete Incaviglia, Mike Macfarlane and Rick Wrona.

Haven residents Dennis and Susan Hill were parents to Stanley and Plesac. Wrona, who played at Wichita State, stayed with Rod and Sandy Goldtree of Hutchinson.

Both families said they are still in touch with the players.

There were many other host families, too. Their stories are comparable, even if their players didn't go on to major-league stardom.

"Most of (the players) were just plain folk," said J.B. Stuckey, who served on the Broncs' board of directors. "Palmeiro, you couldn't ask for a nicer kid. Mike Stanley, too. And of course there were a bunch more that didn't make it (to the majors) that were good kids, too."

Guys like Mario Monico, Craig Stevenson, Julius McDougal, Mike DiGiacomo, Brian Sharkey and George Lopez - former Broncs the Popps stay in contact with.

All have provided families such as the Navarros, Popps, Hills and Goldtrees with a lifetime of memories.

After all, how many people can say they knew Barry Bonds before he made it big? Earlier this summer, the former Bronc hit his 500th home run. With 48 this year, he's ninth on the all-time list, having just passed former Yankee great Mickey Mantle.

"When we had Barry, my ex-husband would always promise him we'd have parties for him when he hit home runs," Navarro said. "Of course, we had a lot of parties.

"He was a very loving, caring gentleman. I'm so proud of him now."