U12 Team Enjoys Lesson and Oriole Park Tour from Third Base Coach Bobby Dickerson andShortstop J.J. Hardy in Honor of LUNGevity
Baltimore, Md. (June 2015) —The Savage Boys and Girls Club’s U12 travel baseball team, the Savage Eagles, enjoyed the baseball practice of a lifetime when Baltimore Orioles’ third base coach Bobby Dickerson and shortstop J.J. Hardy led the team in a fielding lesson and behind-the-scenes tour of Oriole Park. Savage Eagles baseball coach Adam Leader told the U12 team that they would be entering an essay contest with the prompt “what it takes to be the best teammate” to win a special Oriole-led fielding lesson – though he had secretly already won the experience for the team through the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings Auction.
“It’s definitely an experience they will remember for the rest of their lives, which was our big reason for doing this,” U12 Savage Eagles Coach Adam Leader shared.
Proceeds from the fielding lesson benefitted LUNGevity Foundation and critical lung cancer research in honor of former Baltimore Orioles’ public relations director, Monica Barlow, who died of lung cancer in February of 2014 at 36 years old. The fielding lesson took place just days after what would have been her 38th birthday.
“Monica Barlow means a lot to us, and the LUNGevity Foundation is very important to this organization and to us as individuals,” Baltimore Orioles third base coach Bobby Dickerson said. “Anything we can do to help, we welcome it.”
“It was a no brainer for me,” Shortstop J.J. Hardy said when asked about his involvement. “It just shows you how important Monica was to us…we don’t want to forget her.”
The Savage Eagles, a Boys and Girls Club’s U12 baseball team, received a fielding lesson and behind-the-scenes tour at Oriole Park with third base coach Bobby Dickerson and shortstop J.J. Hardy. Photo Credit: The Baltimore Orioles
“The Baltimore Orioles have been an extraordinary ally in the quest to raise awareness and funds for life-saving lung cancer research. The team was the impetus behind Major League Baseball designating LUNGevity the beneficiary of the 2014 Winter Meetings Auction. The team showed amazing support of the lung cancer community, raising funds for critical research and addressing a health concern that can affect anyone with lungs,” said Andrea Ferris, president and chairman of LUNGevity. “We are thrilled to continue working with the Orioles and to have the opportunity to honor Monica’s memory, provide young baseball fans a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and inspire hope amongst lung cancer survivors nationwide.”
The Baltimore Orioles will again host LUNGevity’s Breathe Deep Baltimore walk in memory of Monica Barlow on Saturday, October 3, 2015. To sign up or learn more, visit www.LUNGevity.org/Baltimore.
For interviews with LUNGevity spokespeople or additional photos from the fielding lesson and Oriole Park tour, please contact Aliza Bran at (202) 414-0798 or at abran@susandavis.com.
For more information on LUNGevity Foundation, please visit www.LUNGevity.org.
About Lung Cancer
- 1 in 15 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime
- More than 221,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year
- About 60%-65% of all new lung cancer diagnoses are among people who have never smoked or are former smokers
- Lung cancer takes more lives than the next three cancers (colorectal, breast, and prostate) combined
- Only 17% of all people diagnosed with lung cancer will survive 5 years or more, BUT if it’s caught before it spreads, the chance for 5-year survival improves dramatically
About LUNGevity Foundation
LUNGevity Foundation is firmly committed to making an immediate impact on increasing quality of life and survivorship of people with lung cancer by accelerating research into early detection and more effective treatments, as well as by providing community, support, and education for all those affected by the disease. Our vision is a world where no one dies of lung cancer. For more information about LUNGevity Foundation, please visit www.LUNGevity.org.