Archives for September 2019

Tides looking for Youth Field Makeover nominations

The Norfolk Tides are looking for nominations for our annual Youth Field Makeover Project.

The field makeover includes an upgrade to the playing surface from our groundscrew and front office staff. To nominate a field, send a photo of the field and a brief description by email to John Rogerson at JRogerson@norfolktides.com. Nominations are due by September 17th, and there will then be a contest on the Tides Facebook page to determine the recipient of the makeover.

Since the inaugural renovation in 2012, the Tides have renovated 13 fields in the Hampton Roads community: 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), Churchland Little League (Portsmouth), Thalia/Malibu Rec (Virginia Beach) and Ocean View Little League (Norfolk).

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.

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

Free Coaching Workshops At Blue Wahoos Stadium

Register Now!

Reviving Baseball In Inner Cities (RBI) Pensacola and the Positive Coaching Alliance will host a pair of free two-hour workshops for local coaches at Blue Wahoos Stadium in September, bringing advice from top athletes and coaches nationwide to help local coaches from all sports develop new skills to lead their athletes.

Coaches and parents of athletes are invited to attend either of the free sessions, one held on Thursday, September 12 from 7:00-9:00 PM at the Better Homes and Gardens Main Street Properties Lounge at Blue Wahoos Stadium with the second held on Saturday, September 14 from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM in the same location.

RBI Pensacola is a local chapter of the nationwide Reviving Baseball In Inner Cities program designed to help provide young people from underserved areas with the opportunity to play baseball and achieve academic success. In Pensacola, they provide both baseball and softball programs, helping increase participation in the sports among under-served youth, encourage academic achievement, promote greater inclusion of minority communities in the games, and teach young athletes the value of teamwork.

The Positive Coaching Alliance has led over 20,000 workshops for leaders, coaches, parents, and athletes nationwide, reaching over 19 million youth since 1998. Using their Double-Goal pedagogy, they focus on using positive reinforcement and the importance of teaching life lessons to produce better athletes and better people.

Register now!

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

The Rivalry: Red Sox – Yankees Greats Highlight Granite State Baseball Dinner

 

MANCHESTER, N.H. – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays), the Fisher Cats Foundation, and the Ted Williams Foundation have confirmed the initial group of guests for the 2019 Granite State Baseball Dinner, presented by Northeast Delta Dental.

This year’s fundraising event will be held on Saturday, November 23 at 5 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown Hotel Expo Center. Since 2007, the event has hosted over 13,000 guests and donated more than $1.75 million to the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock (CHaD) and the Fisher Cats Foundation. Tickets are available at NHFisherCats.com.

Hall of Famers Goose Gossage and Wade Boggs headline the 2019 celebrity guest list, along with several other Red Sox and Yankees legends: Bucky Dent, Bill Lee, Luis Tiant, Rico Petrocelli and Bob Stanley. The players will sign autographs from 5 – 7 p.m., and share stories from their careers and the greatest rivalry in baseball during the subsequent dinner program.

New Hampshire’s own Chris Carpenter  will join the festivities, as the 2005 Cy Young Award Winner and two-time World Series Champion continues to donate his time to raise funds for the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock and the Fisher Cats Foundation.

Goose Gossage, a 2008 Hall of Fame inductee, will make his first appearance at the Granite State Baseball Dinner. Gossage pitched for nine teams in his 22 big league seasons, including seven with the Yankees (1978-1983, 1989). He was a nine-time All-Star and led the major leagues in saves for three years, including the 1978 World Series Championship season.

First Ballot Hall of Famer Wade Boggs will attend the dinner for a third time. A career .328 batter with 3,010 hits, he was the only player in the 20th century with seven straight 200-hit seasons. Boggs played 11 years in Boston to begin his career (1982-1992), and won the 1996 World Series with the Yankees. He spent his last two seasons in Tampa Bay, and in 1999 he became the first player to join the 3,000 hit club with a home run. Boggs entered the Hall of Fame wearing a Red Sox cap in 2005, and had his number 26 retired at Fenway Park in 2016.

Bucky Dent, a prominent figure in the Red Sox – Yankees rivalry, will make his Granite State Baseball Dinner debut. Dent is best known for his three-run home run in the 1978 American League East Tiebreaker Game. With New York trailing 2-0 in the top of the seventh, Dent’s go-ahead homer eventually led the Yankees to a 5-4 victory and a playoff berth. He was named 1978 World Series MVP, hitting .417 with 7 RBI in the six-game series win over the Dodgers.

Red Sox greats and popular baseball dinner mainstays Bill Lee, Bob Stanley, Rico Petrocelli and Luis Tiant — who all played against Gossage and Dent in the 1970s — will return to Manchester in 2019.

“When it comes to the best rivalries in sports, it doesn’t get any better than Red Sox – Yankees,” said Fisher Cats President Mike Ramshaw. “The Red Sox have had the upper hand in recent years, but there’s a lot of history between these two teams, and I know this year’s celebrity guests will have plenty of stories to tell.”

Tickets for this year’s event are $80 and can be purchased at NHFisherCats.com and by calling 603-641-2005.

Doors to the event will open at 5 p.m. with a silent auction and an autograph session with the honored guests from 5-7 p.m. The dinner and the evening’s program will begin at 7 p.m.

The primary beneficiary of the dinner is the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock (CHaD). CHaD, New Hampshire’s comprehensive, full-service children’s hospital, is committed to providing outstanding compassionate care for children and their families. Offering primary, specialty, and tertiary care to the children of New Hampshire, Vermont, and beyond, their focus includes keeping all kids healthy and safe.

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats established the Fisher Cats Foundation to be a catalyst for the betterment of communities statewide by supporting youth programs that encourage education and promote healthy living. Through the generous support of players, employees, sponsors, and fans, the Fisher Cats Foundation continuously works to make a positive impact throughout New Hampshire and north-central Massachusetts. As the primary funding source for the team’s philanthropy, the Fisher Cats Foundation supports a wide variety of non-profit organizations and coordinates several fundraising programs and events. Since its inception in 2006, the Foundation and the Fisher Cats have provided more than $5.7 million in monetary and in-kind donations to thousands of non-profit organizations.

The Ted Williams Foundation works to preserve and build on the rich tradition of our national pastime through education and outreach. Proceeds from the Granite State Baseball Dinner are instrumental in the Foundation’s mission to provide youth baseball programs and scholarships for deserving student-athletes. The Foundation is also an active partner with the Rays, Red Sox, Twins, Orioles & Phillies Organizations raising funds to provide assistance to their many charitable programs including the Boys & Girls Club, Pediatric Cancer, Animal Shelters and youth Diabetes programs.

For more information about the charitable Granite State Baseball Dinner, presented by Northeast Delta Dental, please call the Box Office at (603) 641-2005 or visit www.nhfishercats.com.

For tickets and information, visit www.nhfishercats.com.

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

First responders and military can attend this Wednesday’s Midwest League championship game for free

 

SOUTH BEND, Indiana (September 9, 2019) – The South Bend Cubs will play the first two games of the Midwest League Championship series at Four Winds Field this Wednesday and Thursday night. On Wednesday night, September 11, South Bend Cubs President Joe Hart has invited all active and retired military, as well as all first responders, to attend that night’s game free of charge.

“We are so proud to be in the championships. It’s certainly a special night for us as a team, but also as a community,” Hart said. “We can spend the evening together honoring those who protected our country on 9/11, and celebrating those who continue to protect us. We want as many military personnel and first responders as we can get in the stadium on Wednesday.”

Hart said all first responders, active duty and military veterans can receive two free tickets to the game. Guests must present Military ID or form of first-responder identification at the Box Office to claim tickets. The offer is not available online.

This week’s Midwest League championship games take place at Four Winds Field, 501 W. South Street, South Bend. Tickets can be purchased online at SouthBendCubs.com or by calling the Box Office at 574-235-9988. Gates for both games will open at 6 p.m., first pitch is at 7:05 p.m.

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

Trick-or-Treat at Eastwood Field Is Back!

 

Niles, OH – The Scrappers are excited to announce the twenty-first annual “Trick or Treat” at Eastwood Field, presented by Chemical Bank, a Division of TCF National Bank, media partners 21 WFMJ and WBCB and radio partner Mix 98.9. The event will take place on Wednesday, October 23 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. “Trick or Treat” at Eastwood Field is a fun and safe way to celebrate Halloween for children ages 12 and under. Ticket quantities are limited and are available on a first come first served basis. Children and adults will require a ticket. Tickets are just $1 each and are on sale now at the Scrappers Team Office located at Eastwood Field. In addition, anyone that donates canned goods at the “Trick or Treat” event for Feed Our Valley will receive a free general admission Scrappers ticket valid during the 2020 season.

New to the 2019 Trick or Treat event is a “Fast Pass”. The “Fast Pass” is only available for the first 100 kids, includes admission for one child and two adult tickets and allows you to skip the line and get in at 5:45pm for only $10. Those that purchase the Fast Pass will receive a wristband upon purchase.

Purchasing tickets before the day of the event is highly recommended.

The Scrappers are looking for area businesses to participate in this year’s “Trick or Treat” event. Businesses will receive table space at Eastwood Field. This is a community event and a great way to promote your business to the public. Early reservations are encouraged as space is limited. Please contact Kate Walsh for complete details by calling 330-505-0000 or emailing kwalsh@mvscrappers.com.

To stay up to date with the Scrappers during the offseason or for more information on 2020 ticket packages, visit mvscrappers.com or contact the front office at 330-505-0000.

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

Fifth Third Field to Host AHA Heart Walk/Run on September 21

 

Dayton, Ohio – Fifth Third Field will host the American Heart Association’s Greater Dayton Heart Walk/Run on Saturday, September 21 beginning at 9:15 a.m. A signature event of the American Heart Association, the Heart Walk/Run promotes physical activity and healthy living in an environment that’s fun for the whole family. All proceeds will go toward funding research and education involving the reduction of heart disease and stroke. Individuals or teams can register online at heart.org/daytonwalk or by calling (937) 401-4862.

The Walk/Run is specifically designed for children and adults of all ages and abilities. Day-of registration starts at 7:30 a.m., which is also when the gates open at Fifth Third Field. Opening ceremonies begin at 9:00 a.m. The Heart Walk is scheduled to begin at 9:15 a.m.

Registration is quick and easy if you visit heart.org/daytonwalk. Once you click “Register,” you can join a team, join as an individual, or start your own team. After you complete registration, you can personalize your site and invite friends and family to participate or sponsor your efforts.

Participants can also download the new Heart Walk Mobile App with many great features.

The American Heart Association is a leading and relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Since the inception of the Heart Walk 25 years ago, mortality rates from cardiovascular disease and stroke have plummeted by 45 percent. Each walker and each donation has helped to transform health statistics into lives saved. Why? Each time someone laces up their shoes or forms a team to participate in the Heart Walk they are instrumental in innovative breakthroughs. Every donation helps create new technologies such as the artificial heart valve, cholesterol drugs, stents, and the mechanical heart pump which helps extend the life of patients. The Heart Walk is open to the community and all are welcome to participate and change the story of heart disease and stroke in the Miami Valley. The American Heart Association is working to fund big ideas that will pioneer breakthroughs in our understanding and treatment of heart disease and stroke.

ABOUT THE MIAMI VALLEY DIVISION OF THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION

Located in Kettering, the Miami Valley Division of the American Heart Association covers 12 counties in the area and is committed to fighting heart disease and stroke throughout Ohio. The mission of the American Heart Association is to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. For more information, visit heart.org/dayton.

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

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Volcanoes to honor Sprague Little League Sept. 2

KEIZER – It seems only fitting as the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes get ready to start the South Division playoffs that the team is honoring the Sprague Little League team recently home from the 2019 Little League World Series.

This is a very special and important event for both the Volcanoes and the entire community,” said Mitche Graf, Volcanoes President. “It wasn’t all that long ago that professional baseball players were Little League athletes dreaming of getting drafted someday. Come to Volcanoes Stadium on September 2 and share this wonderful fabric of the journey in baseball. If there is one game you want to see before the Northwest League playoffs – this is it.”

https://www.milb.com/salem-keizer/tickets/single-game-tickets

Click above and enter “FAMILY” to get a $5 GA tickets. All kids 12 and under are FREE!

Don’t miss the fun as the Volcanoes honor Sprague Little League with special offers as they take on Eugene. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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