St. Marys – Area kids who dream about going to the Major League All-Star Game might be able to pitch, hit and run themselves all the way to Pittsburgh for the 2006 classic. Or, they just might be interested in how they stack up against other locals, and get a few tips on how to improve their skills.
Either way, it all begins at the St. Marys Cement Company Field this Saturday, April 22, at 10:00am, and better still, it's FREE!
Boys and girls aged 7-14 (as of July 17, 2006) are welcome to attend, and because there are opportunities to advance through a series of regionals all the way to the All-Star Game, participants MUST bring a copy of their birth certificate.
Registration forms are available in advance at the Hall of Fame's administrative office downtown, or at Dunny's, or at the Friday night Hall of Fame indoor clinic at DCVI. Please pre-register by dropping off the form at the Hall's administrative office in order to save valuable time on Saturday.
"It is events like this that are helping the Hall re-define itself to the public and increase the awareness that youth are such a critical part of our existence and our future," said Hall president & CEO Tom Valcke.
"One of the many advantages of having the Hall in St. Marys is that opportunities like the Pepsi Pitch, Hit & Run contest won't bypass the children of our community."
"Some local coaches are encouraging their whole team to come just to see how their players stack up against one another."
The pitching portion of the competition will test how accurately a competitor can throw strikes from 45 feet away into a strike zone.
The hitting portion will test a competitor's ability to hit a baseball from a stationary tee along a tape measure from home plate towards centre field.
The running portion will measure a competitor's speed in a sprint from second base, around third base and across home plate.
ALSO, PLEASE NOTE THAT THE TORONTO BLUE JAYS CLINIC TAKES PLACE ON SATURDAY, APRIL 29 AT 11:00AM ON THE ROTARY FIELD AT THE HALL OF FAME.
