Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon

Baseball's coffee drinking, board game playing oddball is coming home for one more year

during their MLB game at AT&T Park on September 30, 2018 in San Francisco, California. (Robert Reiners)

There's no one in Major League Baseball, and possibly the world, who plays the game like Hunter Pence.
He wears his socks over his knees, rejecting over 100 years of uniform standards. Grant Brisbee, now a reporter for The Athletic, described Pence's swing by saying he looked like he had his arms stapled to his knees. He's probably the first person to ever start a citywide manhunt for a stolen scooter

He even appeared in the reboot of "Full House," which is the surest sign of off-the-field charisma there is.
Pence is like your best friend from Little League that somehow made it. 
Pence recently signed a Minor League contract with the Texas Rangers, just down the street from where he played high school and college baseball in Arlington, Texas. I called him to ask about coming back home to play, but when I spoke to him on the phone, his friendliness and warmth was immediately apparent. It didn't feel like I was conducting an interview with a big league player, but rather, like I was catching up with an old friend who was genuinely interested in what I had to say.
"I know when I was a kid growing up and in high school and junior high, I would drive by [Globe Life Park] all the time," Pence told me. "I remember looking at it from the highway, and I loved how beautiful the architecture of the stadium was. I remember looking and thinking, 'Man, what a dream it would be to be driving there and saying this is where I work.'" 

For someone whose life is so out there now, his childhood sounds like something from the distant past. 
"One time, we built a hockey goal, and we would play roller hockey in the streets like in 'Wayne's World,'" he told me, evoking the "game on!" shout. "Me and my brother lived close to [our high school], and we would hop the fence and practice there. There was a creek behind our street where, a lot of times, the neighborhood kids were playing games."
Unlike a lot of adults, Pence never really lost that love of playing games. In fact, he's made it a central part of his adult life. His wife, YouTube star Lexi Pence, shares that love of games with him, and the couple opened a board game cafe in Houston, where they live in the offseason. Named "Coral Sword," the cafe celebrated its first anniversary this past weekend. 
"I've always loved board games and [video] games and arcades," Pence said, listing "Settlers of Catan" and "Munchkin" among his and Lexi's favorite to play. "Coral Sword is just a space where you can go and hang out and play board games. It's kind of a chill atmosphere. You can do whatever it is that you want to do at a cafe."

Hunter and Lexi keep their life open to all, and they regularly post updates on YouTube that feel like true reflections of their personalities. Their relationship seems like something to aspire to -- two fun-loving people sharing their interests with each other and the world. 

"My wife is amazing," Pence said as if that was the most obvious fact in the world. "She's supported me so much through all of this. She makes everything fun." 
Beyond board games, Pence is a coffee nerd, who has a preference for Ethiopian single-origins in his daily black coffee and espresso. Coral Sword offers the standard cappuccinos and coffees to its guests, but it also provides a variety of specialties to suit its owner's palate. Pence excitedly described a new toasted almond tea latte like "Christmas in a cup." Because it doesn't have caffeine, it can be consumed at night, Pence helpfully added. This didn't feel like someone running down a list of specials with his marketing manager, but rather, a man who legitimately enjoyed the things his cafe serves.

View this post on Instagram

Coffee anyone? #NationalCoffeeDay

A post shared by Hunter Pence (@hunterpence) on

Pence is also an active participant in this game room-turned-business, often stopping in during the offseason to play -- something that is surely shocking for any customers not expecting to run into a Major Leaguer during a coffee-and-gaming session. 
Pence was there this past weekend to play "Super Smash Brothers," and he shared a story about one group who has been coming to the cafe for weekly four-hour sessions. He knows his stuff, but he's also excited to hear about games from other people. That included me, as Pence and I discussed some of my favorite games, and I warned him away from another he was hoping to play soon. Was I talking to a baseball player or my old college roommate? 

Now, Pence will have to face a different kind of challenge than simply trying to beat a board game. He'll be trying to get himself back into the starting lineup. After struggling with injuries and ineffectiveness at the plate over the last two seasons, Pence left San Francisco where he played since 2012 and collected two World Series rings. This offseason, Pence tried to "reinvent" himself, working with "a lot of different trainers and mindsets." He even went to the Dominican Republic, where he -- once again -- became a fan favorite among the supporters of the Toros Del Este. Pence simply can't help but be himself and be embraced for it wherever he goes.

That path has brought him back to where it all began -- Arlington, Texas, the land of street hockey and creekside games.
Should he make Rangers' Major League roster, he'll probably become another young fan's favorite player. That's what he does -- spend a minute talking with him, or watch him for a few innings, and you can't help but be drawn in.
It's a fitting time to make a comeback, as the stadium he once dreamed of calling his office will close its doors at the end of the season.
"I find it to be a pretty amazing coincidence that in the last year of the stadium, things lined up and [the Rangers were] a really good fit and a good place to come home and play," Pence said. 

BarberJordan
beephero
AP_702417634020
NYC
seductrice.net
universo-virtual.com
buytrendz.net
thisforall.net
benchpressgains.com
qthzb.com
mindhunter9.com
dwjqp1.com
secure-signup.net
ahaayy.com
tressesindia.com
puresybian.com
krpano-chs.com
cre8workshop.com
hdkino.org
peixun021.com
qz786.com
utahperformingartscenter.org
worldqrmconference.com
shangyuwh.com
eejssdfsdfdfjsd.com
playminecraftfreeonline.com
trekvietnamtour.com
your-business-articles.com
essaywritingservice10.com
hindusamaaj.com
joggingvideo.com
wandercoups.com
wormblaster.net
tongchengchuyange0004.com
internetknowing.com
breachurch.com
peachesnginburlesque.com
dataarchitectoo.com
clientfunnelformula.com
30pps.com
cherylroll.com
ks2252.com
prowp.net
webmanicura.com
sofietsshotel.com
facetorch.com
nylawyerreview.com
apapromotions.com
shareparelli.com
goeaglepointe.com
thegreenmanpubphuket.com
karotorossian.com
publicsensor.com
taiwandefence.com
epcsur.com
southstills.com
tvtv98.com
thewellington-hotel.com
bccaipiao.com
colectoresindustrialesgs.com
shenanddcg.com
capriartfilmfestival.com
replicabreitlingsale.com
thaiamarinnewtoncorner.com
gkmcww.com
mbnkbj.com
andrewbrennandesign.com
cod54.com
luobinzhang.com
faithfirst.net
zjyc28.com
tongchengjinyeyouyue0004.com
nhuan6.com
kftz5k.com
oldgardensflowers.com
lightupthefloor.com
bahamamamas-stjohns.com
ly2818.com
905onthebay.com
fonemenu.com
notanothermovie.com
ukrainehighclassescort.com
meincmagazine.com
av-5858.com
yallerdawg.com
donkeythemovie.com
corporatehospitalitygroup.com
boboyy88.com
miteinander-lernen.com
dannayconsulting.com
officialtomsshoesoutletstore.com
forsale-amoxil-amoxicillin.net
generictadalafil-canada.net
guitarlessonseastlondon.com
lesliesrestaurants.com
mattyno9.com
nri-homeloans.com
rtgvisas-qatar.com
salbutamolventolinonline.net
sportsinjuries.info
wedsna.com
rgkntk.com
bkkmarketplace.com
zxqcwx.com
breakupprogram.com
boxcardc.com
unblockyoutubeindonesia.com
fabulousbookmark.com
beat-the.com
guatemala-sailfishing-vacations-charters.com
magie-marketing.com
kingstonliteracy.com
guitaraffinity.com
eurelookinggoodapparel.com
howtolosecheekfat.net
marioncma.org
oliviadavismusic.com
shantelcampbellrealestate.com
shopleborn13.com
topindiafree.com
v-visitors.net
djjky.com
053hh.com
originbluei.com
baucishotel.com
33kkn.com
intrinsiqresearch.com
mariaescort-kiev.com
mymaguk.com
sponsored4u.com
crimsonclass.com
bataillenavale.com
searchtile.com
ze-stribrnych-struh.com
zenithalhype.com
modalpkv.com
bouisset-lafforgue.com
useupload.com
37r.net
autoankauf-muenster.com
bantinbongda.net
bilgius.com
brabustermagazine.com
indigrow.org
miicrosofts.net
mysmiletravel.com
selinasims.com
spellcubesapp.com
usa-faction.com
hypoallergenicdogsnames.com
dailyupdatez.com
foodphotographyreviews.com
cricutcom-setup.com
chprowebdesign.com
katyrealty-kanepa.com
tasramar.com
bilgipinari.org
four-am.com
indiarepublicday.com
inquick-enbooks.com
iracmpi.com
kakaschoenen.com
lsm99flash.com
nana1255.com
ngen-niagara.com
technwzs.com
virtualonlinecasino1345.com
wallpapertop.net
casino-natali.com
iprofit-internet.com
denochemexicana.com
eventhalfkg.com
medcon-taiwan.com
life-himawari.com
myriamshomes.com
nightmarevue.com
healthandfitnesslives.com
androidnews-jp.com
allstarsru.com
bestofthebuckeyestate.com
bestofthefirststate.com
bestwireless7.com
britsmile.com
declarationintermittent.com
findhereall.com
jingyou888.com
lsm99deal.com
lsm99galaxy.com
moozatech.com
nuagh.com
patliyo.com
philomenamagikz.net
rckouba.net
saturnunipessoallda.com
tallahasseefrolics.com
thematurehardcore.net
totalenvironment-inthatquietearth.com
velislavakaymakanova.com
vermontenergetic.com
kakakpintar.com
begorgeouslady.com
1800birks4u.com
2wheelstogo.com
6strip4you.com
bigdata-world.net
emailandco.net
gacapal.com
jharpost.com
krishnaastro.com
lsm99credit.com
mascalzonicampani.com
sitemapxml.org
thecityslums.net
topagh.com
flairnetwebdesign.com
rajasthancarservices.com
bangkaeair.com
beneventocoupon.com
noternet.org
oqtive.com
smilebrightrx.com
decollage-etiquette.com
1millionbestdownloads.com
7658.info
bidbass.com
devlopworldtech.com
digitalmarketingrajkot.com
fluginfo.net
naqlafshk.com
passion-decouverte.com
playsirius.com
spacceleratorintl.com
stikyballs.com
top10way.com
yokidsyogurt.com
zszyhl.com
16firthcrescent.com
abogadolaboralistamd.com
apk2wap.com
aromacremeria.com
banparacard.com
bosmanraws.com
businessproviderblog.com
caltonosa.com
calvaryrevivalchurch.org
chastenedsoulwithabrokenheart.com
cheminotsgardcevennes.com
cooksspot.com
cqxzpt.com
deesywig.com
deltacartoonmaps.com
despixelsetdeshommes.com
duocoracaobrasileiro.com
fareshopbd.com
goodpainspills.com
hemendekor.com
kobisitecdn.com
makaigoods.com
mgs1454.com
piccadillyresidences.com
radiolaondafresca.com
rubendorf.com
searchengineimprov.com
sellmyhrvahome.com
shugahouseessentials.com
sonihullquad.com
subtractkilos.com
valeriekelmansky.com
vipasdigitalmarketing.com
voolivrerj.com
zeelonggroup.com
1015southrockhill.com
10x10b.com
111-online-casinos.com
191cb.com
3665arpentunitd.com
aitesonics.com
bag-shokunin.com
brightotech.com
communication-digitale-services.com
covoakland.org
dariaprimapack.com
freefortniteaccountss.com
gatebizglobal.com
global1entertainmentnews.com
greatytene.com
hiroshiwakita.com
iktodaypk.com
jahatsakong.com
meadowbrookgolfgroup.com
newsbharati.net
platinumstudiosdesign.com
slotxogamesplay.com
strikestaruk.com
trucosdefortnite.com
ufabetrune.com
weddedtowhitmore.com
12940brycecanyonunitb.com
1311dietrichoaks.com
2monarchtraceunit303.com
601legendhill.com
850elaine.com
adieusolasomade.com
andora-ke.com
bestslotxogames.com
cannagomcallen.com
endlesslyhot.com
iestpjva.com
ouqprint.com
pwmaplefest.com
qtylmr.com
rb88betting.com
buscadogues.com
1007macfm.com
born-wild.com
growthinvests.com
promocode-casino.com
proyectogalgoargentina.com
wbthompson-art.com
whitemountainwheels.com
7thavehvl.com
developmethis.com
funkydogbowties.com
travelodgegrandjunction.com
gao-town.com
globalmarketsuite.com
blogshippo.com
hdbka.com
proboards67.com
outletonline-michaelkors.com
kalkis-research.com
thuthuatit.net
buckcash.com
hollistercanada.com
docterror.com
asadart.com
vmayke.org
erwincomputers.com
dirimart.org
okkii.com
loteriasdecehegin.com
mountanalog.com
healingtaobritain.com
ttxmonitor.com
nwordpress.com
11bolabonanza.com