OTSAR HITS A HOME RUN WITH CELEBRITY GRAND SLAMMore than 3,000 people watched some of the all-time great boys of summer mark the last Sunday of the summer by reuniting in a game at KeySpan Park, home of the Brooklyn Cyclones, to benefit Otsar Family Services.
Players in the Otsar Celebrity Grand Slam on Septembver 18 included former Yankee stars Jim Leyritz and Jim Abbott; former MVPs Jim Rice and George Foster, former Met and current Cyclones manager Mookie Wilson, State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, WFAN radio producer Dov Kramer and local businessmen and community leaders. The teams were managed by Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench and former Yankee Ace and Cy Young award winner Ron Guidry.
Otsar is a 25-year-old Brooklyn-based organization that provides services to developmentally disabled individuals in all walks of life, as well as their families. One of the highlights of the day was a series of clinics given by the former Major Leaguers for more than 100 Otsar program participants.
Mr. Bench said, "Right there, we saw what the whole day was all about."
Other activities at the event included a carnival with games, rides, and prizes; clinic for sponsors' children; and a VIP reception in the Cyclones Brooklyn Baseball Museum, where contributors had the opportunity to meet the celebrities and get autographs and pictures taken with them.
Mr. Abbott, who pitched a perfect game for the Yankees despite being born without a right hand, was a return player from the first Otsar Celebrity Grand Slam, held in 2004. He said, "Baseball is about two things: kids and fun and today brought back to all of us the essence of the game. It was wonderful to see what a great time all the kids in the park were having, but especially meaningful to see the smiles on the faces of the kids that Otsar helps."
