           |
|
|
From left: Elyssa Bosco, John Ourisman, Nick Papillo, Mike Veeck, Ben O'Hara, Emily Bosco, Hy Bronrott, Christopher DiMisa, and Tim Kurkjian. Photograph by Lisa Kammerman.
BIG TRAIN CELEBRATES VOLUNTEERS FROM 11 TO 90!
The Bethesda Community Base Ball Club honored eleven volunteers for each completing five years of service to Bethesda Big Train baseball on Sunday night November 19 at the Big Train Base Ball & Auction held at the Pooks Hill Marriott.
The eleven volunteers, who ranged in age from 11 to 90, brought to 53 the number of members of the John Ourisman Big Train Volunteer Honor Roll. The volunteers honored included Barbara Bauman, Elyssa and Emily Bosco (12), Hy Bronrott (90), Christopher DiMisa, Brett Morgenstern, Ben O'Hara, Nick Papillo, and Charlotte, Garry, and Keith Tyran. 90-year-old Hy Bronrott, the father of District 16 Delegate Bill Bronrott, is a ticket-taker at the Big Train summer college baseball games. 12-year-old Emily Bosco sings the National Anthem.
Pat Haggerty, the Big Train auctioneer; Beth & Jeff Haven, assistants to the Big Train Raffle Maestro; Louie, of the Bowie Baysox; and Glenn Orlin, the Official Scorekeeper of the Big Train, received the Big Train's Outstanding Service Awards for 2006.
The silent and live auctions pulled in $20,000 on Sunday night and, with sponsorships and ticket sales, the Big Train raised $55,000 to improve baseball and softball fields for kids in 2007.
Mike Costanzo, the Most Valuable Player for the 2003 Big Train now with the Reading Phillies, was in the house along with Frank "Hondo" Howard, the former Washington Senators slugger. Hondo, one of baseball's all-time most warm and wonderful people, signed autographs non-stop for two hours. After the auction, Mike Veeck, whose Saint Paul Saints were the inspiration for Big Train baseball, spelled out the magic that made his dad Bill Veeck a legend and won Mike the title "the Wizard of the Minor Leagues" from Sports Illustrated. Tim Kurkjian of ESPN's Baseball Tonight traded stories with Veeck and drew this proposal from him: "Every major league team," Veeck proposed to sustained applause, "should station one player at each end of the dugout after every game to sign autographs for one-half hour."
To register to become a Big Train volunteer, click here. Students are eligible for service learning hours for their volunteer work at the Big Train games at Shirley Povich Field each summer.
|
|
|
|