Wednesday, March 23, 2005
MLB legends, fans hit the golf course for charity
Former players and celebrities participating in the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association's annual Baseball for Kids weekend took part in a golf tournament Monday as the wrapup event in a weekend of fundraising activities benefitting All Children's Hospital and the MLBPAA.
About 175 people participated in the Golf Classic scramble tournament at the Avila Golf & Country Club in Tampa, Fla. Fans participating in the event were grouped into 35 teams of four and then paired with one former player or celebrity per team.
Several Hall of Famers participated in the tournament, including Orlando Cepeda, Bob Feller, Ferguson Jenkins, Harmon Killebrew and Gaylord Perry. Several celebrities also took part in the event, including Mary Delgado and Byron Velvick from ABC's "The Bachelor," country music artist Daniel Lee Martin, actor Jim Turner from HBO's "Arliss," former NFL player Ricky Ervins and actor Paul Gleason from "The Breakfast Club."
Former player Jay Johnstone's team won first place in the golf tournament with a score of 58 on the par-72 course. His teammates were representives from the Knology company: Alex Job, Clem Papas, Bobby Rowe and Dave Stewart.
The MLBPAA was able to raise more than $200,000 during the course of the weekend's events, which included a dinner and auction on Saturday and an autograph signing, Home Run Derby and Legends Game on Sunday. The former players also gave a free baseball clinic for kids on Sunday afternoon at the Philadelphia Phillies' Spring Training stadium in Clearwater.
2005 Hall of Fame inductee Wade Boggs was chairman of the golf tournament and of the Baseball for Kids weekend. He has been chair of the event for the last four years.
"Every year they keep coming back and asking me [to chair again]; it's a no-brainer to be the chairman of this," he said.
Boggs enjoys working with the kids and having them participate in the weekend's festivities.
"The biggest enjoyment that I get out of it is seeing the kids at the events having smiles on their faces," Boggs said.
"[The kids] coming out to the game and walking around the clubhouse -- it sort of takes them away from all their troubles -- to see former Major League ballplayers and get some autographs," he said.
Boggs has been pleased with the results of the Baseball for Kids weekend's events, which get bigger each year.
"Last night was the largest crowd we had at the game, and it's growing," Boggs said. "The one goal that we have is to eradicate children's cancer -- in order to do that, you've got to raise funds and we're on the right track."
All Children's Hospital currently is raising funds for its goal of opening a new $270 million facility by 2008, which will house more services for children -- 240 individual patient rooms, an expanded intensive care unit, two floors for mothers and newborns and the largest neonatal intensive care unit in the southeast.
The players and celebrities were happy to take part in the tournament and raise money to help the children and the hospital.
Jenkins has participated in the Baseball for Kids weekend since he retired in 1983, and has been on the board for the golf outing for the last seven years.
"I think it's an outstanding event," Jenkins said. "Wade has taken it upon himself to put his name on the sponsorship, which is very good.
"It's good to see a bunch of the guys again, we all are getting older. We hope that in the next five, six years we're still here," he said.
Delgado has taken part in the Baseball for Kids weekend for three years.
"The event was definitely a success," she said. "I'm going to keep coming back every year."
Delgado said she enjoys taking part in events that are geared toward helping kids.
"I've always had a love for children, especially children who are ill -- it's in my heart, definitely," she said. "[I hope] that we raise a lot of money so it can go back to the All Children's Hospital."
Perry has taken part in the Baseball for Kids weekend for about five years and enjoys catching up with old friends at the festivities.
"The best part is getting to see some of the guys you haven't seen all year, and some of them longer than that. [You see] some of your teammates or some guys that you've known for quite a while," Perry said.
He said he was happy to see the large turnout at each of the Baseball for Kids weekend's events.
"It's been pretty good," Perry said. "We had a big crowd at the ballgame last night and had a pretty good dinner the night before, and there's a big crowd out here today. It will be some good competition out there."
About 175 people participated in the Golf Classic scramble tournament at the Avila Golf & Country Club in Tampa, Fla. Fans participating in the event were grouped into 35 teams of four and then paired with one former player or celebrity per team.
Several Hall of Famers participated in the tournament, including Orlando Cepeda, Bob Feller, Ferguson Jenkins, Harmon Killebrew and Gaylord Perry. Several celebrities also took part in the event, including Mary Delgado and Byron Velvick from ABC's "The Bachelor," country music artist Daniel Lee Martin, actor Jim Turner from HBO's "Arliss," former NFL player Ricky Ervins and actor Paul Gleason from "The Breakfast Club."
Former player Jay Johnstone's team won first place in the golf tournament with a score of 58 on the par-72 course. His teammates were representives from the Knology company: Alex Job, Clem Papas, Bobby Rowe and Dave Stewart.
The MLBPAA was able to raise more than $200,000 during the course of the weekend's events, which included a dinner and auction on Saturday and an autograph signing, Home Run Derby and Legends Game on Sunday. The former players also gave a free baseball clinic for kids on Sunday afternoon at the Philadelphia Phillies' Spring Training stadium in Clearwater.
2005 Hall of Fame inductee Wade Boggs was chairman of the golf tournament and of the Baseball for Kids weekend. He has been chair of the event for the last four years.
"Every year they keep coming back and asking me [to chair again]; it's a no-brainer to be the chairman of this," he said.
Boggs enjoys working with the kids and having them participate in the weekend's festivities.
"The biggest enjoyment that I get out of it is seeing the kids at the events having smiles on their faces," Boggs said.
"[The kids] coming out to the game and walking around the clubhouse -- it sort of takes them away from all their troubles -- to see former Major League ballplayers and get some autographs," he said.
Boggs has been pleased with the results of the Baseball for Kids weekend's events, which get bigger each year.
"Last night was the largest crowd we had at the game, and it's growing," Boggs said. "The one goal that we have is to eradicate children's cancer -- in order to do that, you've got to raise funds and we're on the right track."
All Children's Hospital currently is raising funds for its goal of opening a new $270 million facility by 2008, which will house more services for children -- 240 individual patient rooms, an expanded intensive care unit, two floors for mothers and newborns and the largest neonatal intensive care unit in the southeast.
The players and celebrities were happy to take part in the tournament and raise money to help the children and the hospital.
Jenkins has participated in the Baseball for Kids weekend since he retired in 1983, and has been on the board for the golf outing for the last seven years.
"I think it's an outstanding event," Jenkins said. "Wade has taken it upon himself to put his name on the sponsorship, which is very good.
"It's good to see a bunch of the guys again, we all are getting older. We hope that in the next five, six years we're still here," he said.
Delgado has taken part in the Baseball for Kids weekend for three years.
"The event was definitely a success," she said. "I'm going to keep coming back every year."
Delgado said she enjoys taking part in events that are geared toward helping kids.
"I've always had a love for children, especially children who are ill -- it's in my heart, definitely," she said. "[I hope] that we raise a lot of money so it can go back to the All Children's Hospital."
Perry has taken part in the Baseball for Kids weekend for about five years and enjoys catching up with old friends at the festivities.
"The best part is getting to see some of the guys you haven't seen all year, and some of them longer than that. [You see] some of your teammates or some guys that you've known for quite a while," Perry said.
He said he was happy to see the large turnout at each of the Baseball for Kids weekend's events.
"It's been pretty good," Perry said. "We had a big crowd at the ballgame last night and had a pretty good dinner the night before, and there's a big crowd out here today. It will be some good competition out there."
