This New Zealand family got to spend a weekend behind the scenes with the D-backs

New Zealand's national team (@BaseballNZ) is called the Diamondblacks, so it's only fitting that the Gleeson family, who hail from Auckland, would spend their 25th wedding anniversary watching the Diamondbacks.
Cary Gleeson purchased an auction package for the once-in-a-lifetime visit to help fund Team New Zealand's trip to the World Baseball Classic. On Saturday night, they watched catcher Chris Herrmann double and homer. On Sunday morning, they found themselves hanging out with him: <o:p>

Connor Gleeson, 17, is an aspiring pitcher who heads to Canada on Monday to hone his baseball skills over the summer, in hopes of earning a college scholarship in the United States. Not only did he get to talk shop with 2013 All-Star Patrick Corbin, but Gleeson and his sister, Ella, also met first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. <o:p>

Goldy's been to New Zealand as well -- two years ago he hosted a clinic at the iconic Eden Park as part of a goodwill tour the D-backs arranged in advance of their 2014 Opening Series in Sydney, Australia.
The family also chatted with manager Chip Hale and Greg Schulte and Tom Candiotti, the radio broadcast team. We're pretty sure they'll be heading home with plenty of stories for their friends in New Zealand, where baseball is one of the fastest-growing sports.