Hunter Pence’s life could be a YouTube video. In fact, it IS a YouTube video.
While most celebrities go to great lengths to shield their private lives from public view, Pence and his wife, Alexis, freely share – even invite – EVERYONE into theirs. An Internet celebrity in her own right before she married the Giants outfielder, Alexis opens the door into her and Pence’s lives through her “Let’s Get Lexi” YouTube channel, where viewers learn about the couple’s favorite coffee bars, find out what’s in Hunter’s locker, and even get a voyeuristic peek into Hunter’s well-orchestrated marriage proposal to Alexis at Disney World.
Few topics are taboo or off-limits. The light-hearted weekly videos range from Hunter and Alexis sharing their top five annoying things about having each other as a roommate (counterbalanced by another episode that reveals what they love about their roomie) to revelations about what Pence hears in right field to pranks the couple pulls while grocery shopping.
“We’re open books. Nothing is forbidden. (Alexis) tries to keep it pretty raw and emotional,” says Pence. “She loves creating and making videos, so I encourage it. She’s really opened my eyes to the creative side, too.”
Pence’s teammates – and even players from other teams, such as current Washington Nationals and former Oakland A’s pitcher Sean Doolittle – have also joined in the fun. Videos have pitted Giants second baseman Joe Panik against his then-fiancée now wife, Brittany, in a “Soon-to-Be Newlywed Challenge; featured Giants pitcher Cory Gearrin and his wife, Maddi, reviewing Dutch Bros. Coffee; and showcased Doolittle and Pence competing in the “Cotton Ball Challenge.”
Even before he met his energetic future wife in April 2014, the self-effacing Pence had already used social media to give fans an insider’s look at his personality. In 2013, he made a mock infomercial for “Hunter’s Hitters,” a fake baseball academy teaching kids how to play ball in Pence’s unorthodox signature playing style. The video promises parents that their kids will learn how to “throw like you don’t have an elbow” and to hit “like a hungry man chasing a taco,” among other important baseball skills.
“It’s important to connect with people, with the fans and share our personality,” says Pence, who is active on Twitter and Instagram (@hunterpence), about his social media presence. “The world is very cool today in how connected we are.”
Now in his seventh season with the Giants, Pence is one of the team’s longest-tenured players, with only Brandon Belt, Buster Posey, Madison Bumgarner and Brandon Crawford having more years in orange and black. During his time in San Francisco, Pence has fully embraced the City – he is often seen enjoying the town’s many coffee bars and fine restaurants, visiting neighborhood comic book shops, and riding his electric scooter to and from his waterfront condo near the ballpark.
“I just love being part of this team, organization and city. I really feel so lucky to be part of it and am so thankful everyday,” Pence says.
Building that connection with fans, teammates and the community is the very essence of Hunter Pence. He’s the “glue” that ties everyone together, says teammate Gearrin. Successful teams are not built on star power alone. Winning teams are made up of just the right pieces, held together with a special bond. That’s Hunter Pence. Since his arrival to San Francisco in a trade deadline deal in 2012, Pence’s influence and impact on the team, on and off the field, has been invaluable.
“He’s such an unbelievable guy, constantly building people up, inviting people in to share his passions, like coffee and video games. He shares that with his teammates, friends, fans and the city of San Francisco,” says Gearrin, who notes that Pence was the first person to welcome him to the team when he arrived in 2015. “He’s just such a special guy to have around. I will cherish him as a friend for the rest of my life. He’s one of those guys, where if you ever need him, he’ll be there for you.”
Pence’s energy and gift for motivational speaking have inspired and lifted his teammates. Known as “The Reverend,” Pence is most famous for his clubhouse speech before the start of Game 3 of the 2012 National League Division Series against the Cincinnati Reds. With the Giants facing elimination, Pence rallied the troops to victory that night and then go on to win three straight to knock the Reds out of contention. And fans will recall his “Yes! Yes! Yes!” speech during the last regular season game at AT&T Park on Sept. 28, 2014 that catapulted the Giants into postseason play. Pence says that his speeches are never planned or scripted. Instead, they form organically and emerge when a moment unleashes a wave of emotion.
“He brings a lot of energy to the clubhouse,” says third baseman Pablo Sandoval. “He’s one of the guys you want to follow as a role model. The way he plays the game and the way he acts on and off the field is an example for everyone here.”
When the off-season acquisition of Andrew McCutchen necessitated Pence’s move from right field – a position that he has played his entire Major League career – to the opposite corner in left, Pence didn’t bat an eye.
“He was so excited to get Andrew,” says Giants manager Bruce Bochy. “He said he was looking forward to (moving to left).”
Adds Bochy:
“You really have to spend a season with him to learn to appreciate how authentic he is and how much he cares about his teammates, the fans and everybody. That’s just who is he. He’s pretty special.”
These intangibles are not lost on Bochy. And, it’s one of the reasons why he has steadfastly stuck by Pence, despite his troubles at the plate.
“There are certain constants in this game, and (Hunter’s) one of them, coming in with a positive attitude. We call him our spiritual leader,” Bochy says. “Even last year, as tough a year as we had, he still played as hard as he ever played and was as positive as he’s ever been. That’s who he is.”
The last couple of seasons have certainly been challenging for Pence and the rest of the Giants. An early and disappointing exit from postseason play in 2016, followed by a 98-loss record last season and a slow start this season can test even the most cheery of personalities. Not surprisingly, Pence the Philosopher takes everything in stride.
“(Being positive) is a conscious effort, but it’s like being on a wave in the ocean – there’s ebb and flow to life, and to baseball as well,” says Pence, who meditates two to three times a day, writes in a gratitude journal and reads books about personal growth. “There’s the top of the wave and there’s the bottom of the wave. You have to be constantly adjusting when things are going well. I like to think about a pole vaulter who has to get really low before he goes high.”
For the most part, Pence is fairly successful at leaving his woes at the ballpark, says his wife. His 10-minute scooter ride home from the ballpark gives him time to decompress. But he is human, after all. He took the team’s elimination loss to the Chicago Cubs in the National League Division Series in 2016 particularly hard. When he came home that evening, Alexis had his favorite foods and games laid out on the dining room table in an effort to cheer him up.
“I knew he’d probably want some time alone before he was ready to face the real world again,” she says. “It took him about a week until he was even ready to talk about it.”
And while the loss stung, Pence had happier times ahead – his marriage to Alexis the following month. On Nov. 26, 2016, the couple exchanged vows at Ascension Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Oakland, and partied the night away at a dinner reception at Epic Steak in San Francisco. The event, which was later posted on YouTube, is a fitting storybook chapter to their fairytale relationship, which started in April 2014 when Pence met the former Alexis Cozombolidis while filming a promotional ad for “MLB The Show” video game at IGN, an Internet media company focused on the video game and entertainment enthusiast market in San Francisco. Alexis was a production coordinator for IGN at the time. The petite brunette and her T-shirt, which read “Karma Dharma Zen” immediately caught Pence’s eye. Alexis, meanwhile, had no idea who Pence was, but did think that he was cute and charming, she says. Too shy to ask himself, Pence asked his agent to get Alexis’ phone number. Alexis offered her business card. Pence later texted Alexis, asking her to dinner. At first she said “no”, but then accepted after he explained that the team was going on the road for two weeks. They met at Starbelly restaurant in San Francisco, and the rest is history.
On Dec. 3, 2015, Pence asked the woman who he calls his best friend and soul mate to marry him. In a carefully choreographed event at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, Pence arranged to have a fake interview set up where he was to talk about his favorite moment at Disney World. With the camera rolling, he suddenly got on his knee and asked Alexis for her hand in marriage as fireworks lit up the night sky over the theme park. Of course, the momentous event was caught on video and later posted on YouTube.
“You have a lot more to live for. It makes things a lot better, happier,” says Pence on how marriage has given him a new perspective on life. “Having that partner brings a lot of joy and happiness knowing that you are able to share everything and life together.”
The couple recently incorporated their two passions – coffee and games – into a café located in their off-season hometown of Houston. Partnering with Greenway Coffee Company’s David Buehrer, AMC’s “Comic Book Men” star Ming Chen and barista/gamer Sanford Bledsoe III, they opened Coral Sword – the moniker refers to a weapon used in the Final Fantasy videogame series – earlier this year. Coral Sword offers state-of-the-art gaming, a gaming bar, a podcast booth, and the ability to actively live stream during social media for games and tournaments. In addition to the fun and games, customers can enjoy specialty coffee, tea, beer, wine, and a food menu that includes pizza.
“It’s been such a joyride and learning experience from the first day we broke ground on construction to opening day,” says Alexis. “We are so thankful for our team who made it possible.”
And, while it may appear that Pence is settling down – enjoying married life and now his new business venture - he gives no indication that he’s ready to hang up his spikes after logging 12 big league seasons and recently celebrating his 35th birthday.
“I don’t try to look into it too much,” says Pence about his future. “I’m right here, right now. I’m here today to win and locked into the moment right now. (Life is) great and I’m loving every minute of it.”
One would expect nothing less positive from Hunter Pence.
Hunter’s Faves
Favorite “Let’s Get Lexi” videos:
* Coffee reviews
* Challenges, where participants compete in different contests, such as a cook-off, telling bad jokes, talking with marshmallows stuffed in their mouths and drawing blindfolded.
* “Hunter Pence is Changing His Last Name?!”
* “We Adopt a Minor Leaguer! - Hunter Pence & Matt Paré”
Favorite books:
* “The Four Agreements, “ by Don Miguel Ruiz
* “Seven Spiritual Laws Success,” by Deepak Chopra
* “Principles,” by Ray Dalio
Pence is currently reading Daniel Pink’s book “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.”
Favorite video games:
* Mario Kart
* Super Smash Bros.
* Skyrim
* Fortnite
* Hearthstone
Favorite musical band: Incubus
