Archives for September 2018

Churchland Little League in Portsmouth wins Field Renovation Project

As part of The Youth Field Makeover Project presented by Orkin, Churchland Little League in Portsmouth, VA has won a contest in which the Tides organization will renovate their baseball field. This field makeover will include an upgrade to the playing surface, an improvement to existing dugouts, and pest prevention services courtesy of Orkin. The field renovation is set to take place this fall.

In addition to Churchland Little League, the Tides will also be renovating Thalia/Malibu Rec Association in Virginia Beach, with that renovation set to take this fall. Thalia/Malibu Rec Association won that renovation in a contest that took place in February.

“We are continuously amazed at the outpouring of support we receive each time we run these contests” said Tides General Manager Joe Gregory. “Our entire organization is excited to help make a difference for the young ballplayers in our community.”

Since the inaugural renovation in 2012, the Tides have renovated 11 fields in the Hampton Roads community: Ocean View Little League (Norfolk), Smithfield Recreation Association (Smithfield), Bennett’s Creek Little League (Suffolk), Phoebus Little League (Hampton), Shore Little League (Nassawadox), Cradock Little League (Portsmouth), Little Creek National (Norfolk), Gloucester Youth Baseball (Gloucester), Surry County Pony Baseball (Surry), Deer Park Youth Field (Newport News) and Eason’s Crossroads Ballpark (Gates, NC).

The project is made possible thanks to the Tides Youth Baseball Fund, a program established by the Tides in 1990 as a way to raise money for youth baseball and softball programs in Hampton Roads. In addition to assisting with field renovations, the Youth Baseball Fund also helps local teams and leagues with travel expenses. The Youth Baseball Fund is partially financed by scoreboard announcements at Harbor Park throughout the season, and those wishing to make a donation directly to the Youth Baseball Fund can do so via norfolkides.com under the “Harbor Park” section.

Season tickets, group tickets, picnics and patios are currently available for the 2019 season. For pricing and additional information, visit the Harbor Park box office or call (757) 622-2222. For more information about Orkin’s pest control services, visit Orkin.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

Halfway To Mardi Gras Raises Over $5,000 For K&J Foundation

Prior to their South Divisional Playoff game on September 5, the Biloxi Shuckers presented a check to Brian and Yvette Pearse of the K&J Foundation for $5,399.56. The funds were raised from the Shuckers “Halfway to Mardi Gras” jerseys.

“Brian is a part of the Shuckers family, and when an opportunity presented itself to help out the K&J Foundation, we were thrilled to do what we could to help out,” said Shuckers General Manager Hunter Reed. “We want to thank Matt Stebly for designing another eye-grabbing jersey for the Shuckers, and we hope that the money raised helps Brian and Yvette continue their work to increase seatbelt safety awareness.”

Founded by Brian and Yvette, the K&J Foundation is committed to raising teen seatbelt safety awareness as a legacy to their children, Kiara and Jameel. During their game on August 18, the Shuckers wore special jerseys for “Halfway to Mardi Gras” night designed by local artist Matt Stebly. The game worn jerseys were featured on ESPN’s SportsCenter that morning and were auctioned off during the game. Fans were able to meet Shuckers players on the field and receive their jersey after the game concluded.

The Shuckers remain committed to community involvement and proactively seeking ways to improve the quality of life along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This season, the Shuckers have raised over $13,400 through jersey auctions, special events and sponsorship that have benefited organizations throughout the greater Biloxi area.

Playoff tickets for the Biloxi Shuckers 2018 Postseason can be purchased at the MGM Park box office or over the phone through Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Group outings are also available and can be reserved by calling 228-233-3465 or visiting www.biloxishuckers.com.

ABOUT THE BILOXI SHUCKERS:

The Biloxi Shuckers are the Double-A Affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Shuckers play at MGM Park in Biloxi, Mississippi. For more information please visit biloxishuckers.com and follow us on Twitter @biloxishuckers and at facebook.com/biloxishuckers.com.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

Hops for Hospice 2018 is October 6 at Spectrum Field

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
Hops for Hospice
Saturday, October 6, 2018
4 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Spectrum Field

HOPSforHOSPICE.com

Join us at beautiful Spectrum Field on Saturday, October 6th where Clearwater Threshers present the 10th annual Hops for Hospice Beer Festival, to benefit Empath Health and the Suncoast Hospice Foundation. Over 100 different beers will be available for sample from JJ Taylor, Great Bay Distributors and local breweries.

Tickets are available for just $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Only a limited number of tickets will be available for the event. Every attendee will receive a complimentary beer mug to sample the product.

Get your tickets soon and don’t miss this great event! Tickets can be purchased at the BayCare Box Office at Spectrum Field, online at HopsforHospice.com or by phone at 727-467-4457.

Support Suncoast Hospice Foundation while sampling a variety of beers.
Sponsorship opportunities are still available.

You must be 21+ years old with a valid photo ID to attend the festival.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

View More

Guns & Hoses Charity Softball Event Set for October 7

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (September 6, 2018) – The 11th Annual Guns & Hoses Charity Softball Game will take place at TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark on Sunday, October 7. The event, presented by 707 Shooting Range and Goldfinch Winslow Law Firm, features a 4-team showdown between Myrtle Beach and Horry County first responders. All proceeds from the event will benefit SOS Health Care, Inc. Project Lifesaver for Horry County.

“This is a great, friendly rivalry game between the police and fire departments,” said Project Lifesaver Program Coordinator Monique Clement. “Without their support Project Lifesaver would not be possible in our area. They are our first responders, our search and rescue, and the backbone to Project Lifesaver.”

“After teaming up with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in 2017 this event drew its biggest crowd to date,” added Clement. “The Pelicans have stepped up to the plate again this year and I have no doubt it will be bigger and better than before, allowing SOS Health Care to make Project Lifesaver more successful.”

Admission to the event is a $5 donation to SOS Health Care, Inc. The event will also include a hot dog buffet while supplies last. Concessions will also be available. Additionally, spectators can participate in various games and raffles with all proceeds benefiting SOS Health Care Inc.

“We’re excited to host this event for a second straight year,” stated Pelicans General Manager Ryan Moore. “TicketReturn.Com Field is the community’s ballpark and what better way to celebrate that than by hosting a charity event headlined by our community’s first responders.”

Gates for the Guns & Hoses Charity Softball Game will open at 2 PM. The approximate schedule of play is as follows:

  • 3:00PM           Myrtle Beach Fire Department vs. Horry County Fire Rescue
  • 4:00 PM          Myrtle Beach Police Department vs. Horry County Police Department
  • 5:30 PM          Championship Game

Event details are available online at myrtlebeachpelicans.com/guns&hoses.

ABOUT SOS HEALTH CARE, INC: The mission of SOS Health Care, Inc. is to partner and inform the community by providing hope, care and assistance to individuals with Autism and Intellectual Disabilities. Their vision is to be an organization that is proactive and always moving forward. It creates its own future, is results focused, and seeks to achieve impact that adds value to a large group of stakeholders. It honors traditions but values change which it sees as a necessary part of an evolving world. Internally, development is almost sacred. People routinely exchange resources and share new ideas. Everyone is connected internally and externally. “What ifs” and “what’s out there” are considered normal parts of conversation.

ABOUT PROJECT LIFESAVER: The primary mission of Project Lifesaver is to provide timely response to save lives and reduce potential injury for adults and children who wander due to Alzheimer’s, autism and related conditions. This is a program that uses radio telemetry to track individual transmitters on a band worn like a watch or a bracelet. The transmitter is assigned a frequency that can be used to track down the wearer should he or she leave home without the knowledge of their caregiver. Project Lifesaver currently is a partnership program between SOS Health Care and Horry County Public Safety and currently covers 32 children with autism. The cost of the band and batteries for one year is $375 per year. Project Lifesaver provides this service free of charge to the individual.

ABOUT THE PELICANS: The Myrtle Beach Pelicans are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs and play their home games at TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Since being acquired by a group led by Chuck Greenberg during the 2006 season, the Pelicans have repeatedly set team attendance records and become known as one of Minor League Baseball’s most innovative and creative franchises. The team and its employees have been dedicated to making a difference in the Myrtle Beach community, specifically giving back over $2 million in donations, fundraising proceeds, in-kind services and community service since launching the Pelicans Play It Forward Community Initiative in 2013. TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark has ranked in the top eight in all of Minor League Baseball by Stadium Journey in six of the last seven seasons. The same publication also placed the Pelicans in the Top 100 Stadium Experiences and the best in the Carolina League for six of the past seven seasons. In June 2017, the Pelicans won the 2017 TripAdvisor.com Certificate of Excellence award. For more information on the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, please contact the Pelicans at (843) 918-6000 or email Info@MyrtleBeachPelicans.com.

Turn Left Golf Classic October 22nd

Funnville – The Richmond Flying Squirrels, Richmond Raceway and the Dominion Energy Charity Classic are excited to announce that the 5th Annual Turn Left Golf Classic presented by Cranemasters will be held on Monday, October 22 at The Country Club of Virginia, James River Course. This year the event that benefits Flying Squirrels Charities and Richmond Raceway Cares has been aided by the Dominion Energy Charity Classic as participants can play the tournament course in the same condition and with the same pin placements as the PGA TOUR Champions pros did on Sunday during the Dominion Energy Charity (Oct. 19-21). Tickets for the Turn Left Golf Classic can be purchased here.

“It is great that three major sports entities here in town can come together for the benefit of our community,” said Richmond Raceway President Dennis Bickmeier. “Since we started this tournament, so many of our partners and friends have this event circled on their calendar. We look forward to raising money for charity and delivering another quality event to our guests.”

The Turn Left Golf Classic is a shotgun start a at 11 a.m. Prizes will be allotted to the top three foursomes and a post-event dinner on the back lawn is included with the registration price. The event was created in 2014 to benefit both Flying Squirrels Charities and Richmond Raceway Cares, two 501 (c) 3 non-profit organizations. 2018 will be the first year it is hosted by the Dominion Energy Charity Classic the day following the tournament (More info on the Charity Classic below.)

“We are excited to extend the Flying Squirrels and Richmond Raceway partnership to our great friends at the Dominion Energy Charity Classic,” said Flying Squirrels VP & COO Todd “Parney Parnell. “We look forward to being with them over the weekend and then celebrating their success with our Turn Left Golf Classic on Monday.”

ABOUT FLYING SQUIRRELS CHARITIES

Flying Squirrels Charities is dedicated to partnering and connecting the Flying Squirrels brand with the Greater Richmond Community in an effort to optimize results from fun and versatile fundraising campaigns to benefit the Richmond community. The Initial focus of Flying Squirrels Charities has been deemed “Renovating Richmond’s Recreation” an impactful community project in the process of renovating 14 Richmond City youth baseball facilities. Renovating Richmond’s Recreation is intended to create safe, community-minded spaces that are dedicated to Richmond’s youth.

The Initial renovation projects have already been completed at Blackwell Field (16th & Everett St.) and Westover Field (1301 Jahnke Rd.). The initial renovations include brand new covered dugouts and field maintenance. The Flying Squirrels raise money year-round for Operation Renovation through events such as the Turn Left Classic, The Charity Hot Stove Banquet and various jersey auctions.

ABOUT RICHMOND RACEWAY CARES

Richmond Raceway Cares is the community arm of Richmond Raceway. Through partnerships with hundreds of organizations in Central Virginia, we host special events and have strategic alliances that allow us to give a great deal of financial support to well-deserving groups in the Richmond area.

ABOUT THE DOMINION ENERGY CHARITY CLASSIC

The Dominion Energy Charity Classic is the first of three PGA TOUR Champions season-ending playoff events to determine the annual Charles Schwab Cup Champion. The 2018 tournament is scheduled for October 18-21 at The Country Club of Virginia, James River Course. A field of 72 professionals will compete for a share of the $2 million purse and a spot in the 54-player field the following week. All three rounds of the event will be broadcast on Golf Channel and aired in more than 180 countries around the world (2:30 p.m. -5:00 p.m. EDT Friday through Sunday). For information about corporate sponsorship opportunities, to become a volunteer or for ticket information, please visit the official tournament website at www.deccgolf.com, see our pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@DECCGolf) or call the Tournament Office at 804-234-8840.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

Shorebirds Win SAL Community Service Award

SALISBURY, Md. — The Delmarva Shorebirds have been named the 2018 Community Service Organization of the Year by the South Atlantic League. This award recognizes the Shorebirds’ outstanding, on-going commitment to charitable service, philanthropy, and leadership within the Delmarva community. The Community Service Organization of the Year award is one of the league’s Outstanding Achievement Awards, which are announced every year after the conclusion of the regular season.

The Shorebirds strive to be more than just a baseball team by supporting the community that supports us. The Shorebirds organization, front office staff, players, and coaches have been extremely committed to serving and supporting the Delmarva community in any way possible.

With the help and partnership of the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, the Shorebirds rebranded the Community Fund to the Shorebirds’ Fly Together Fund. The Fly Together Fund coincides with the social media usage of #FlyTogether but also encompasses support of the Delmarva Peninsula.

The Fly Together Fund was created to help fund local community projects, Little Leagues, and nonprofit organizations. So far this calendar year, the fund has donated $24,384 along with in-kind donations valued at $23,010.

“The Shorebirds are proud to be involved with and provide numerous community programs on the Delmarva Peninsula. I want to thank everyone in the Delmarva community who has been a part of the Shorebirds community outreach programs and events. We hope you will continue to join us in our Fly Together Fund and community relations initiatives in the future,” said Shorebirds’ General Manager Chris Bitters. “Winning this award is such a great honor. Thank you so much to Shorebirds’ Community Relations Manager, Kathy Damato, for leading the organization in all of our community relations efforts. She has gone above and beyond to help us win this award and it is thoroughly appreciated.”

Each of the 14 South Atlantic League teams, along with field managers and umpires, participated in the voting for the South Atlantic League Outstanding Achievement Awards. The Shorebirds will be nominated for the Minor League Baseball John Henry Moss Community Service Award, which honors the founder of the South Atlantic League for his dedication and charitable service to baseball and his community during his 50-year tenure as a league president. Moss founded the South Atlantic League and presided over it from 1959-2008. The winner of this prestigious award will be announced at the Baseball Winter Meetings this December in Las Vegas, NV.

For more information about the Delmarva Shorebirds’ community relations involvement, please contact Kathy Damato at kdamato@theshorebirds.com. The Shorebirds are owned and operated by Seventh Inning Stretch, LLC, who also own the Stockton Ports of the California League and the Everett AquaSox of the Northwest League. Delmarva opens up the 2019 season on the road in Lexington on Thursday, April 4th. The Shorebirds’ first home game at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium will be on Thursday, April 11th against the Lakewood BlueClaws.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

Connor Eller Receives Blue Jays Community Service Award

Right-handed pitcher Connor Eller has been selected as the 2018 Dunedin Blue Jays Community Service Award winner for his continued commitment to helping those in need in the Dunedin community and supporting Blue Jays community initiatives.

The Blue Jays Community Service Award has been given annually since 2012 to the Blue Jays player who best exemplifies the team’s commitment to enriching the Dunedin community through a variety of outreach programs that promote education, healthy lifestyles, and charity. Throughout the 2018 season, Eller represented the Blue Jays in the community through numerous appearances away from the ballpark as he worked to encourage local children and support local families.

“Connor has been a leader in the clubhouse and the community for the past two seasons. He’s exemplified everything this award stands for through his continued dedication to our community service projects,” Blue Jays Manager of Community Relations Kathi Beckman said. “We couldn’t be more proud to present him with the 2018 Community Service Award.”

Eller helped lead the 2018 Blue Jays Bookin’ It To The Ballpark Reading Program, the largest community outreach program in the franchise’s history, reaching fifteen-hundred elementary school students in 19 Pinellas County schools. He visited local elementary schools to support the program and promote literacy by reading to local students, answering their questions, and encouraging them in their studies.

“My favorite event was definitely the reading visits,” Eller said. “The kids get so excited when you walk in the door. Seeing their smiles when they come up and read with you is a joy.”

Eller was also active at the 2018 Blue Jays Bowling Tournament, an event that raised over $10,000 to benefit local families through Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay. He also volunteered to help local families at the Dunedin Cares, Inc. Food Pantry, helping to fight hunger in the Dunedin Community. At their annual Hometown USA celebration, the Blue Jays collected 1,126 pounds of food for Dunedin Cares, Inc. as part of Minor League Baseball’s annual BUSH’s Beans Food Drive. Alongside teammate Riley Adams and mascot DJay, Eller helped sort and distribute the food the team had collected to local families.

“It was really neat when Riley and I went to the Food Pantry. I think we gave back to the community in a different way. It was heartwarming to put yourself in other people’s situation and be able to help them and show love to them.”

Eller joins a distinguished list of former Community Service Award winners that includes Danny Barnes, Matt Newman, Taylor Cole, L.B. Dantzler, Jorge Saez, Tim Mayza, and Josh DeGraaf.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.