(I don't know if I should have used quite so many exclamation points, but I'm psyched and I figured I'd err on the side of exuberance.)
On Monday evening, June 8th, MY WIFE and I will be attending a benefit being put on by Pitching In For Kids. This is a great non-profit organization that provides grants to improve the lives of children across the New England region.
While MY WIFE and I like to give to charity, and sometimes a bit more than we might have expected, I'm looking forward to this event so exuberantly because it involves the participation of one of my heroes in sport, Tim Wakefield.
Why is Wake one of my heroes? Well, first off, he's old. Not that he's looking to break Satchel Paige's longevity marks anytime soon, but he is going to be 43 this season. What with me being 52 and still disgracing myself regularly on fast-pitch softball fields all over Boston, any hardball player over 40 automatically becomes someone I admire.
More important than his age, though, is his humanity. Wake has been nominated on seven different occasions for the Roberto Clemente Award. That award is given each year to the major league baseball player who best exemplifies sportsmanship, community involvement, and the individual's contribution to his team. Clemente himself was renowned for his charitable work, and was killed in a plane crash while on his way to help deliver relief supplies to an earthquake-stricken Nicaragua. To be nominated so many times for such a distinguished award speaks volumes.
My favorite story concerning Wake's charitable work is the following. A couple of years back, he and a few of his teammates went to visit some cancer-stricken children at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the home of The Jimmy Fund. Now, all of them were nice guys to go and visit sick children. However, there was one child who was receiving treatment during their visit and who didn't get to meet the Red Sox players. While his teammates left at the scheduled time, Wakefield stayed at the hospital for an additional 4 hours until that one child came out of treatment.
In a game that sometimes seems to be overpopulated by bratty little kids in adult bodies, Wake is a real MAN.
Also, Wake is the longest-tenured player on the Sox roster, this being his 15th season with the club. A few years back, he had the opportunity to sign a more lucrative contract with another team, but he instead chose to stay with the Sox to close out his career. He chose loyalty over money.
What is there NOT to like about this guy?
In addition to Wakefield being present at the event, Jason Varitek will also be there. As a long-time catcher - and now sporting the crummy knees to prove membership in that fraternity - all catchers automatically become my heroes, too. MY WIFE likes to watch Tek run. She says he runs like Fred Flintstone. I wouldn't say that. I wouldn't say anything even remotely insulting to a guy who has thighs that look like they can crush coconuts.(Seriously. Someone called him "Quadzilla" once. It was apt.)
In any case, they will both be there, as will some other Sox players, local celebrities, and top regional chefs preparing the buffet. There will be both live and silent auctions - the live auction with Wake and Tek acting as the auctioneers - good music, and poker. Yes, there will be poker played, with a grand prize of an all-expenses-paid trip to Las Vegas for the winner.
Oh, and speaking of heroes, Captain Richard Phillips will also be in attendance.
(Imagine me waiting until this late to mention him. A real journalist would have worked him into the story much earlier. Oh, well. That's why I got a B in my high school journalism classes.)
Here's some info, from a press release:
RED SOX TIM WAKEFIELD, JASON VARITEK, TEAMMATES & RELEASED HOSTAGE CAPTAIN RICHARD PHILLIPS HIT THE POKER TABLES AND 'PITCH IN FOR KIDS'; JUNE 8, 2009.
Pitching in for Kids (PIFK) co-founder Sara Youngelson and her business partner Faneuil Hall Marketplace Merchant's Association president Carol Troxell, report that Sox hurler Tim Wakefield, captain Jason Varitek, teammates and released hostage Captain Richard Phillips, will hit the poker tables on Mon., June 8, in a big benefit for the Kids' foundation, slated for Faneuil Hall Marketplace.
A silent and live auction, dancing and entertainment highlight the gambling gala with a wall-to-wall VIP reception, hosted by The Capital Grille's GM Chris Scott, showcasing gourmet selections prepared by over one dozen award-winning restaurants.
The festivities are set for Quincy Market's Ned Devine's , the upper rotunda of the Marketplace middle building, and the adjacent former Comedy Connection space.
Ticket cost for the June 8 benefit (allows admission to both venues): $100, tax-
deductible (dancing, entertainment, buffet reception, silent & live auction); To
play poker with a Sox ballplayer (seven players per table)- an additional $200
(tax deductible) per player; Special Discount - party and poker buy-in: $250.00.
Poker/party benefit doors open at 6PM at both venues.
NOTE: The poker tournament in the VIP lounge at Ned Devine's is closed to the public, unless one has purchased a $200 poker table ticket.
MC's are WBZ-TV'S sports anchor Steve Burton & stand-up comic Tony V.
The Comedy Connection activities begin approx. 7:45PM
And, needless to say - but that's never stopped me from saying something before - if you go, you get to meet me and MY WIFE!
Be still, your beating heart.
Great event, well worth the admission - and the admission is tax-deductible. Maybe I'll see some of you there? I hope so. To order tickets, call 617-367-3322.
Soon, with more better stuff.
30 comments:
What a wonderful thing you're doing! I try to give to charities when I can, which isn't often enough - I admit. But every little bit helps.
wonderful. i certainly don't follow the lives of various ballplayers and so i only seem to be aware of the more glaring buttheads who get constant media attention. thanks for bringing the admirable qualities of wakefield onto my radar. he is indeed an example of the measure of a man.
have fun and best of luck at the poker tables.
a guy who has thighs that look like they can crush coconutsThe perfect description indeed.
What a fantastic event you will both be attending! Would love to as well but with the impending move there are a few things that just do not fit in right now. Plus I would definitely be far too much a 'fan girl' just being in the same vicinity as Tek. Pretty sure drooling on poker tables is not allowed at such a shnitzy sounding affair.
Good luck with everything...do you plan to bid on silent auctions again or was once enough?
Geez... you did it again Suldog... you put tears in my eyes. Wakefield waiting for that child! Now that's a real hero.
Sounds like a blast. Too bad it's on the wrong coast. Have a wonderful time.
If I was in Boston I'd go you meet you and THE WIFE. Cause I have no freaking clue about baseball.
I'm with Jazz. When I see you have a sporting post up I read it, because it's you but most sails over my head, but once again you have caught me out with that great story of your hero and the child.
But would I like to meet you and your ever loving missus...? O yes! If the Atlantic wasn't in the way.
Have a great time.
Just keep a careful watch on the silent auction bidding.
You and YOUR WIFE are spending your money on "a good thing -- a very good thing." As you might have gathered, this old lady doesn't follow sports figures, but Wakefield seems to be a prince of a fellow, and Tek, well... Tek's thighs should go in the Guiness Book of Records! WOW!
What a great post! You're a good man Suldog. Have a great time at the event. You deserve it.
Sully, Great gig! I would seriously consider it, but I'm off to NYC that day for 2 days. I'll pass it on to the Flames.
Not only do you still play baseball...but you play it well...And I'm in awe...baseball and I had a bad start...as my nearsightedness was diagnosed late...sigh. AND, you wrote this in an inverted pyramid...based on your judgment of the importance of the information...obviously baseball stars trump ALL!!! :-) Great Post! Enjoy the event!!! ~Janine
I want to come.
But I'm not anywhere near New York in the future. :(
NEW YORK?!? Fie on you, woman, for speaking the accursed name of our arch-rivals!
Awesome! Wake is on a roll this year and I have long admired Tek, thighs or no thighs (good thing he's got 'em though!). I love hearing stories where they show their humanity - good on Wake for waiting for that child to finish treatment - it makes my eyes well up, in fact! I'm actually in the vicinity to go but my lame excuse is child care, especially on a school night! Still, I'll see what I can do, since I'd love to meet you and YOUR WIFE (not to mention all those other guys).
HEY HEY HEY WATCH IT!!!! I'm 43 and NOT OLD at all.
And now I'm going back to read the rest of your post.
Yep, read it. Seems like a lovely event. Would like to meet those thighs and Wake and you and YOUR WIFE. But I'll make the usual donation to our own cancer research fund. Which is far less fun than your way of donating money. Be careful with that silent auction. Or we will have to organize/organise a fundraising event to get you and YOUR WIFE out of the cardboard box you'll be living in.
Have fun!
I'm 52, so if I call someone 43 old, that makes me ancient and crumbling into dust.
Good on you, YOUR WIFE, and Wake!
re: "In a game that sometimes seems to be overpopulated by bratty little kids in adult bodies, Wake is a real MAN."
TOO true, that. But it's the ol' bad news/good news thing, in that one rarely hears about all the good being done but the headlines scream at every infraction against decency and the law. I firmly believe the Good Guys outnumber the twits... or at least I like to think so.
As for that 43/52 thing? Ah, kids! (Heh)
So...just what are you doing noticing whether or not a guy has thighs that can crush coconuts?
Seriously, enjoy the event.
It sounds like it will be a wonderful event. Best of luck to you.. tis a great thing you're doing. And that never surprises me about you.
Will it be an extra $500 to meet the Suldog? You never included that cost. Of course, I'll assume it's tax deductable.
I'm with you on Wakefield, he played a key role in one of my favorite baseball moments, that's for sure. (Cough) Aaron Boone (cough).
Seriously, though, that's a great story about Wakefield waiting for that kid. I'd like to be more complimentary but, well, it's that Red Sox thing.
I won't be able to make it but it sounds like such a great time! And for a great cause.
I've always had a soft spot for Wakefield in my heart.
God bless Wake. I'm 39 and can barely make it to the keyboard. Maybe if I learn to type with my knuckles, I'll improve my blogging longevity.
Poker, athletes, auctions (I already know how generous you and your WIFE are!) what's not to love about the whole event? Sounds like a lot of fun and a really precious cause.
I heard a rumor that your wife is a very nice and funny person. I wish I could come...I have relatives in Boston.
Durn, the only name in that post title I recognized was "me." Have a great time at that worthy event!
I follow baseball casually and had heard a thing or two about Wakefield.
The way you presented him inspired me. Your portrail of the man makes him out to be a true servant.
He seems to be a man that cares about little things not just about the spotlight.
I recently had an experience where someone went out of his way to help me promote some of my writing. It almost felt unreal to me because people don't just do that these days.
The child Wakefield visited with after four hours of treatement probably felt like he was in a dream.
It is so interesting how little we need to do in order to make someone feel special.
I too am a Wakefield Devotee- have a ball!!or two autographed maybe
Suldog, if I lived even remotely close to the Boston area (I'm in Pennsylvania so it would be a pretty long drive for me ya know) I would come out to that event just for the sheer joy of having a chance to meet you and your wife. Although, from your write-up about Mr. Wakefield, I was amply impressed about him and would appreciate that opportunity to shake his hand too!
Great post!
(Oh the word verification for me here is "imari" which just happens to be the name of one of my personal favorites -a cologne made by Avon! And you know, don't you, I was the local Avonlady for 18 years and now my daughter sells the stuff. I'm her best customer but the slowest paying one too! LOL)
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