MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / July 17, 1999

METAIRIE – When Todd Landry was a member of the New Orleans Zephyrs, he was always willing to give something to the fans, whether it be a bat or a ball or even just his time.

On Tuesday, many of those same fans showed up at Zephyr Field to give something even more precious back to Landry.

Landry, a native of Donaldsonville and resident of Prairieville, was one of 21 workers injured during the July 5 explosion at the Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Plant in Gramercy. Landry’s aunt, Mary Claire Landry, said Landrywent through extensive surgery Monday at Baton Rouge General Hospital.

Mary Claire Landry said the family was hoping he would be out of intensive care by the end of the week.

Landry used 28 pints of blood during that first surgery. To help supplymore blood, the Zephyrs held a blood drive in Landry’s honor Tuesday afternoon at the stadium. Two mobile units of The Blood Center were atthe stadium with lines at both of throughout the afternoon.

“The Zephyrs wanted to do a blood drive for the employees and players and were kind of enough to invite us and have the public come out,” Gayle Landrum of The Blood Center said.

The Zephyrs served as host for the 1999 Triple A All-Star Game Wednesday, and the team held a skills competition and Home Run Derby Tuesday at the park. Dawn Mentel, assistant vice president of sales andmarketing for the Zephyrs, said the team felt it would be a good time to have a blood drive with the number of people coming for the skills competition.

“We wanted to do something to help him, and we felt it was a good time to have a blood drive for Todd,” Mentel said.

Landry, who played for Southeastern Louisiana University his freshman year before transferring to Lassen (Calif.) Community College and Arizona,was a member of the Zephyrs in 1996. He played first base in 113 gamesthat season, batting .240 with five home runs and 44 runs batted in. The Zephyrs changed affiliations the following year, going from the Milwaukee Brewers to the Houston Astros. Landry was assigned to theBrewers’ Double A affiliate in El Paso, Texas, before being claimed by the New York Mets in the minor league draft. Landry played for Binghamton,N.Y., in 1998 before retiring.”We loved the Zephyrs and the Zephyrs loved us,” Mary Claire Landry said.

“It was a wonderful summer for us as well as for him.”Landry was a fan favorite when he played for the Zephyrs.

“Before the game he would sign bats and balls for the kids,” Landry recalled. “After the game we would have to wait for him because hewouldn’t leave until the last kid. He really cared about the kids and wantedthem to keep their love for baseball.”Scores of people lined up at The Blood Center’s mobile units Tuesday, many with a story to tell about Landry. Included in the list of donors weremembers of the Zephyrs’ staff and players. Landrum said 44 donationswere given during the four hours of the drive.

Landry wanted to express her thanks for those who donated blood.

“We are so appreciative of everybody who cared and everybody who gave blood,” Landry said. “It means so much to the family and I know how muchTodd will be strengthen to know how many people cared about him.”There will be another blood drive for Landry today at the Donaldsonville City Hall from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Return To News Stories