Results tagged ‘ Marlins Foundation ’
Opening Night – Play Ball!
My first Opening Night was met by 34,000 Marlins faithful ready for another season of baseball in Miami. On behalf of the Marlins Foundation, I would like to wish everyone a happy 2013 baseball season!
A special thanks to some of our community partners who came out to support us: Miracle League of Miami-Dade, Best Buddies, City Year, Villa Lyan, Special Olympics Florida – Miami-Dade County, Breakthrough Miami, Easter Seals, Miami Children’s Museum, the Ann Storck Center, Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Young at Art, Biscayne Nature Center, Seraphic Fire and Shake-a-leg Miami.
As you enjoy some photos from Opening Night, remember to value every moment this great game has to offer. Willie Stargell put it best:
When you start the game, they don’t say “Work ball!” They say “Play ball!”
Opening Day – The Marlins Ayudan Way!
Happy Opening Week! Are you as excited as I am to be back to baseball? Or how about this one…Are you as excited as 441 elementary school students who got out of class to watch the Marlins play? That’s what happened on Monday as Marlins Ayudan celebrated Opening Day with Ben Sheppard Elementary School.
Marlins Dir. of Baseball Operations, Mike Wickham, decorating the “Marlins Corner” with students from Ben Sheppard Elementary
At Ben Sheppard Elementary, Opening Day had two meanings. Not only did the Miami Marlins open their season against the Nationals, but Ben Sheppard officially opened the “Marlins Corner” in their library! Thanks to a contribution from the Marlins Foundation, Ayudan teams “Sun Lifers” and “Restore Miami” were able to remake a corner of the library and fill it with brand new, baseball-related, hardcover books!
At the beginning of March students were sent home a letter stating if they earned perfect attendance for the month that they would be rewarded by the Miami Marlins. That did the trick – 441 students achieved perfect attendance in the month of March!
Billy the Marlin with students that were rewarded for perfect attendance
So on Monday afternoon, front office employees spent their time with 1st – 5th graders showing off the Marlins Corner, coloring Marlins M’s, handing out t-shirts and rulers, eating pizza, and watching the Marlins play . If you ask me, there’s no better way to kick off the 2013 baseball season!
How did you celebrate Opening Day?
Fantasy Baseball Draft for the Ages
I have been playing fantasy baseball since I had access to a computer in my middle school library. I remember in 1997 as a 7th grader taking Raul Mondesi late in the first round because I thought he would be a 30/30 guy (nailed it!). However, after over 15 years of fantasy baseball drafts, none have come close to matching the experience I had with my buddies this year.
Our league commissioner Cory McLaughlin attended the FS Florida Fantasy Auction this past season, bringing a refuse to lose mentality with the prodding of his longtime friend Seth Masson. The bidding went back and forth at the Clevelander inside Marlins Park for the most coveted item: a fantasy baseball draft in the Marlins home clubhouse with special guest Michael Hill, the team’s General Manager. The auction ended when the final out was recorded, and when all was said and done, our league commissioner came out victorious with the winning bid and a sizeable donation for the Marlins Education Fund.
Draft day was finally here and as we all arrived to the ballpark we entered the clubhouse for a catered meal in the club house dining area where the big leaguers eat. With our bellies full we were now ready to enter “the war room” as we took our places in the center of the clubhouse on giant leather recliners armed with pages of draft cheat sheets, pencils, paper, and our self-proclaimed knowledge of who was going to be this year’s breakout fantasy stud. This was many of our first attempts at a live draft and staying focused was key, but how can anyone stay focused when a big league G.M. walks into your draft in the middle of the first round? Mike Hill was, in a word, awesome! Telling stories of past trades in Marlins history, giving advice to the group on who he likes to breakout this year, and even heckling a couple guys for drafting certain players who he felt were a reach. Round after round Mike went around the room looking over peoples’ draft sheets and helping them decide between player x and player z, it was a real thrill for all of us.
In the end, thanks to the Marlins Foundation, we were definitely the only fantasy league in the world to host their draft in a big league clubhouse with an MLB General Manager present… hopefully I will hit on my first rounder like I did back in ’97; c’mon Tulo!
-Juancho
Spring Training Youth Clinic
What was Derek Deitrich doing talking to a group of young baseball players about skim, whole, and half-and-half? He was putting on a demonstration of jaw dropping juggling tricks at the conclusion of the Marlins Spring Training Youth Clinic, of course!
The Marlins Foundation held our annual Spring Training Youth Clinic at Roger Dean Stadium with Placido Polanco, Rob Brantly, Nathan Eovaldi, and Derek Dietrich. They helped kids work on the fundamentals of fielding, batting, pitching, and base running. Even a wily old veteran like me learned a thing or two!
Proceeds will go on to benefit the Florida State League Scholarship Program.
Check out some photos:
Marlins President tours Miami Lighthouse for the Blind
Did you know? There are 67,000 individuals in Miami Dade County who are blind or visually impaired.
After last season’s inaugural touching tour at Marlins Park, our team President David Samson asked me to schedule him a visit to the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind. Today was the day, and we had a lovely morning with Virginia, Carol, and Cameron at MLB (of course Virginia pointed out the MLB connection!) The resources and services they provide our community range from free eyeglasses for children, to life enrichment classes for seniors who recently lost their sight. It’s a wonderful complex filled with kind and caring individuals. The Marlins Foundation looks forward to continuing our partnership with our friends at MLB. Below are some pictures from the visit. Enjoy!
Adrian Mora
David Allende
Joanne Messing
Juancho
Angela Smith
sgaywood
Sarah
