PHOENIX, AZ (April 22, 2008)—On April 29, Major League Baseball (MLB) Umpires Laz Diaz, Wally Bell, and Mike Winters visited with pediatric patients at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Organized by BLUE for Kids, they offered words of encouragement and distributed Build-A-Bear Workshop® stuffed animals to children coping with serious illness. The visit to Phoenix Children’s Hospital was the first of twelve hospital events scheduled by MLB umpires in 2008.

Media Coverage
Umpires give kids a 'bear'-y happy day
By Mark Thoma / MLB.com


Event Photos
Click for photos on our Flickr page

Comments
Comments from Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) employee Troy Hansen who participated with the umpires. Troy shared these words in a letter to fellow BMS representatives and we think it summarizes the event rather well.

Hello John and Peggy:

I wanted to tell you of my experience this past Tuesday at the Phoenix Children's Hospital. I was able to join Samuel Dearth who represents BLUE for Kids, as well as three Major League umpires. With the help, in part from a BMS grant, BLUE for Kids secured Build-a-Bear stuffed animals for children who were residents at the hospital.

MLB Umpires Laz Diaz, Mike Winters, Wally Bell and I were able to visit several floors of the hospital and bring some smiles to the children. It was really an awesome experience to see these kids light up when they were handed a stuffed animal. They then got to select from several choices an outfit to go on the animal. If even for just a brief moment, these children felt good and whatever illness or pain they were subjected to, drifted away in the softness of a new friend. Their eyes told the story and the expressions on their faces will be engraved upon my mind for a very long time. The umpires were very compassionate and caring with the children. And although in their profession these umpires need to be tough and firm, they were truly gentle giants.

I am so grateful for this opportunity. It makes me count my blessings every day. Thanks for allowing me to participate. I had a great time. Thanks Peggy and John. And my thanks go out to Samuel. He did an outstanding job and kept us organized and on track. - Troy Hansen

Special thanks from the Umpires to:

• Wendy Pauker and Allison Bell of Phoenix Children's Hospital. You both were incredibly helpful in creating a wonderful experience for everyone.


• Troy Hansen of Bristol-Myers Squibb for taking time out of your day to help create a memorable experience for children coping with serious illness and injury. Big League BLUE Reach presented by Bristol-Myers Squibb. As always, a huge thanks to Peggy Carroll for your role in identifying BMS representatives to assist at each event.
• Participants of the Get Stuffed and Pass It On program who raise donations for stuffed animals distributed at each of the hospital events.


• John Ralph, Christie Cowles, and Mark Thoma of MLB.com for your time and interest in sharing such a wonderful story with MLB.com viewers.


• Mark McClune of FSN Arizona for your time and interest in sharing this story with Fox Sports Net viewers.

Labels: ari, bell, bms, comer, diaz, mlb, reach, winters

MLB Umpire Bob Davidson welcomes 'Tre, Cantrell, Richie, and LaDareus to Rangers Ballpark for a game between the Twins and the Rangers. 'Tre and Richie and mentors with Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Texas.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is one of the most effective youth mentoring organization in the United States. BLUE for Kids recognizes the direct and lasting impact that adult mentors have in the lives of young people. Through the BLUE Crew Tickets program, MLB Umpires like Bob Davidson provide memorable sports experiences to strengthen the mentor/youth relationship. Learn More about Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

Special Thanks From The Umpires To:

• Jenny Martin, Ashleigh Greathouse, and Taunee Taylor of the Texas Rangers Community Relations team. The Texas Rangers make a difference to thousands in the Arlington and surrounding communities. Rangers Community Overview
• Shannon Mann of Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Texas for helping to coordinate an enjoyable day at the ballpark for your mentor/youth matches.
• Dallas Neely of Texas who placed a winning bid for an auction item benefitting BLUE for Kids. Thank you Dallas!

Labels: bbbs, crew, davidson, mlb, mlbpaa, naso, neweracaps, tex

MLB Umpire Bob Davidson welcomes Kim, Alfredo, Javier, and Arnulfo to Angel Stadium for a game between the Mariners and the Angels. Kim is a Wendy's Wonderful Kids (WWK) recruiter for Kinship Center in Los Angeles. She works to move children in the Los Angeles area from foster care into permanent, loving adoptive homes.

Wendy’s Wonderful Kids is the direct-service signature program of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption that combines the fundraising of Wendy's and its customers, aggressive grants management of the Foundation, and the talent of experienced adoption recruiters throughout the nation and in Canada to move children from foster care into permanent, loving adoptive homes. Learn More about the Wendy's Wonderful Kids program

Guest Comments:

"We had a great time! The brothers had never been to a game before so it was very exciting to them. Lindsay McHolm of the Angels introduced us to Bob Davidson who made the day possible. All of the umpires (Bob, Mike Reilly, Alfonzo Marquez, and Andy Fletcher) signed their baseballs and the boys kept pointing the men out on the field while we watched the game. They said they liked baseball before but now LOVED it!!! This was an amazing day for the boys and I loved seeing it through their eyes! Thank you so much for the great day even though the Angels lost :( It meant so much to the kids." - Kim Felder

Additional Photos:



Special Thanks From The Umpires To:

• Lindsay McHolm, Community Relations Coordinator, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The Angels have been active in the community throughout the team's 45-year history. Angels Community Overview


• Kim Felder of Kinship Center for helping provide an enjoyable day at the ballpark and for all that you do to find loving homes for children in the Los Angeles area.


• The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption (DTFA) for your dedication toward dramatically increasing the adoptions of the more than 140,000 children in North America’s foster care systems waiting to be adopted. Learn More about DTFA

Labels: crew, davidson, laa, mlb, mlbpaa, naso, neweracaps, wwk

MLB Umpires Marvin Hudson, Randy Marsh, and Brian Knight welcome LaSonya, Vashti, Charleston, and Lamont to Great American Ballpark for a game between the Brewers and Reds. Michael Michelle Willis is a Wendy's Wonderful Kids (WWK) recruiter for the Hamilton County Department of Jobs and Family Services and helped to arrange for the group to attend the game. Ms. Willis works to move children in the Cincinnati area from foster care into permanent, loving adoptive homes.

Wendy’s Wonderful Kids is the direct-service signature program of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption that combines the fundraising of Wendy's and its customers, aggressive grants management of the Foundation, and the talent of experienced adoption recruiters throughout the nation and in Canada to move children from foster care into permanent, loving adoptive homes. Learn More about the Wendy's Wonderful Kids program

Special Thanks From The Umpires To:

• Matt Crawford and Lorrie Platt, Reds Community Relations. The Cincinnati Reds strive to be winners both on and off the field. Reds Community Overview


• LaSonya and Vashti of Hamilton County Department of Jobs and Family Services for helping provide an enjoyable day at the ballpark for the boys.


• The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption (DTFA) for your dedication toward dramatically increasing the adoptions of the more than 140,000 children in North America’s foster care systems waiting to be adopted. Learn More about DTFA

Labels: cin, crew, hudson, knight, marsh, mlb, mlbpaa, naso, neweracaps, wwk

MLB Umpire Mark Wegner welcomes Staci, Jessica, Marcus, and Cameron to Minute Maid Park for a game between the Rockies and Astros. Staci and Jessica are Wendy's Wonderful Kids (WWK) recruiters of Spaulding for Children in Houston. They strive to move children in the Houston area from foster care into permanent, loving adoptive homes.

Wendy’s Wonderful Kids is the direct-service signature program of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption that combines the fundraising of Wendy's and its customers, aggressive grants management of the Foundation, and the talent of experienced adoption recruiters throughout the nation and in Canada to move children from foster care into permanent, loving adoptive homes. Learn More about the Wendy's Wonderful Kids program

Guest Comments:

"Dear Mr. Mark Wegner: It was a pleasure meeting with you down on the field. The boys were excited from the moment they heard they were going to have the opportunity to go to a live game. It was great to meet all the wonderful people that made this day possible. Shawn Bertani of the Astros took us on a tour while we were heading down to the field. Marcus had the opportunity to get a baseball that the Rockies had just hit during practice. Mark you asked us to cheer for you in case there was a call that you had to make that the fans did not agree. Trust me when I tell you that behind all the fans uproar we were cheering for you. We were able to capture a picture when the Astro’s coach became heated with the umpire.

Thank you again for giving the children the opportunity to attend this event. This night was the first Astros game that Marcus and Cameron had attended.” - Jessica Trapani

Additional Photos:



Special Thanks From The Umpires To:

• Shawn Bertani, Astros Director of Community Affairs for meeting our guests at the ballpark. The Houston Astros consider being a part of the community just as important as throwing strikes and hitting home runs. Astros Community Overview


• Staci Prince and Jessica Trapani of Spaulding for Children for enjoying the game with the kids and for all that you do to find loving homes for children in the Houston area.


• The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption (DTFA) for your dedication toward dramatically increasing the adoptions of the more than 140,000 children in North America’s foster care systems waiting to be adopted. Learn More about DTFA

Labels: crew, hou, mlb, mlbpaa, naso, neweracaps, wegner, wwk

MLB Umpire Sam Holbrook welcomes Connie, Liz, Charles, and Johnetta to Busch Stadium for a game between the Giants and Cardinals. Connie and Liz are Wendy's Wonderful Kids (WWK) recruiters for Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition in St. Louis. They both work to move children in the St. Louis area from foster care into permanent, loving adoptive homes.

Wendy’s Wonderful Kids is the direct-service signature program of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption that combines the fundraising of Wendy's and its customers, aggressive grants management of the Foundation, and the talent of experienced adoption recruiters throughout the nation and in Canada to move children from foster care into permanent, loving adoptive homes. Learn More about the Wendy's Wonderful Kids program

Guest Comments:

"Mr. Holbrook, the kids loved their experience and being able to see the umpires behind the scenes...all of the umpires and Mark Taylor (Cardinals Community Relations) were very engaging and friendly. Most important, the kids were made to feel very comfortable and special and will be able to keep these memories for a lifetime. Johnetta asked “when can we come back?” and Charles stated that he had a great time and loved having great seats to watch the game. Thank you so much!" - Liz Johnson

Additional Photos:



Special Thanks From The Umpires To:

• Mark Taylor, St. Louis Cardinals Community Relations for taking part in BLUE Crew Tickets. Learn more about what the Cardinals do for nearby communities. Cardinals Community Overview


• Connie Doty and Liz Johnson of Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition for helping provide an enjoyable day at the ballpark and for all that you do to find loving homes for children in the St. Louis area.


• The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption (DTFA) for your dedication toward dramatically increasing the adoptions of the more than 140,000 children in North America’s foster care systems waiting to be adopted. Learn More about DTFA

Labels: crew, holbrook, mlb, mlbpaa, naso, neweracaps, stl, wwk

BLUE for Kids is excited to announce the April and May schedule for children's hospital visits.

29-APR-2008: Phoenix Children's Hospital
Umpires: Wally Bell, Laz Diaz, John Hirschbeck, Paul Schrieber

07-MAY-2008: University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital
Umpires: Lance Barksdale, Ted Barrett, Dana DeMuth, Doug Eddings

14-MAY-2008: The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Umpires: Bob Davidson, Andy Fletcher, Alfonso Marquez, Mike Reilly

A complete list of 2008 hospital events is located on our Big League BLUE Reach page.

MLB Umpire Fieldin Culbreth is featured in the Sunday, March 30, 2008 edition of the Spartanburg Herald-Journal. This in-depth article, written by Jason Gilmer, offers a thorough account of Culbreth's ascent to the Big Leagues, a feel for being on the field when history is made, and his thoughts on topics ranging from field confrontations to life on the road. Click for PDF version of the news article.

Labels: culbreth, umpire