Seahawks’ Fil-Am receiver goes to the Super Bowl

Seattle Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin Jr.

SEATTLE—Filipino-American Doug Baldwin Jr. carried an upside down Philippine flag into the football field last November to show that his team, the Seattle Seahawks was at war with the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan).

Seahawks fans donated to the relief efforts and team owner Paul G. Allen matched all the donations to the Red Cross.

On Feb. 2 Baldwin and his teammates this time will battle the Denver Broncos at the National Football League (NFL) at Super Bowl XLVIII in New York. Football fans see the championship duel as a traditional holiday.

Baldwin told the Seattle Times that he wants to visit his relatives (“too many to count”) including his grandma in Tacloban after the game.

“I’m seriously considering taking time out this off-season to make sure I get out there. Because that’s my family,” Baldwin said. Most of his relatives’ homes were ravaged and they had to stay with his grandaunt, he said.

But for now, the Super Bowl is what’s on his and his teammates’ minds. After all, this is the Seahawks’ (15-3 this season) first trip to the Super Bowl since bowing to Pittsburgh in 2005.

In the Jan. 19 playoff with the 49ers, Baldwin made clutch plays that set up scores by his teammates.

Baldwin in the second quarter caught a 51-yard pass from quarterback Russell Wilson, which moved the Seahawks to the 49ers’ 11-yard line.

A few plays later, kicker Steven Hauschka nailed a 32-yarder for the Seahawks first score of the game, 10-3.

Baldwin later in the third period returned a kickoff for 69 yards that set up a second field goal for Hauschka that cut their deficit to 17-13.