SF restaurant owner takes students to SF Giants game

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KGO) -- Last Christmas, ABC7 News aired a story about a school in the Tenderloin of San Francisco - one of the city's poorest districts. It touched the hearts of a lot of people who have since given generously of their time and resources.

On Thursday, the students of San Francisco City Academy got another big act of kindness as many went to their very first Giants game at AT&T Park.

Approximately 100 students were the guests of Lefty O'Doul's restaurant owner Nick Bovis.

"When you show kids baseball and give them the spirit of baseball, it's something they remember for the rest of their life," he said.

Bovis' generosity began at Christmas, shortly after he saw our ABC7 News report profiling the school.

We found out about the journals students wrote. They were gripping and raw stories about their lives.

Here are some excerpts:

"My mom and dad were on drugs. When I was little, I was homeless. I was poor."

"Living without my dad is like living without a heart. No emotions come through me without him."

The journal touched Bovis deeply. At that time, he arranged for Santa to make a surprise visit to the school at Christmas.

He also made sure every student got gifts.

Then, when Bovis found out that most of the students had never been to a baseball game, he made sure they all would go to one.

On Thursday, the kids marched through the Tenderloin all the way to AT&T Park.

When they arrived, San Francisco Police helped hand out their lunches, courtesy of course of Lefty O'Doul's.

To these students, Thursday was the day when somebody took them out to the ball game!