March 9, 2006

Barry Zito's Strikeouts For Troops featured at Oakland A's game on March 12th in Phoenix, AZ

Zito to Donate $100 for Every A's Strikeout and Host 100 Soldiers Tru West Credit Union to Provide Matching Funds

Phoenix, AZ- Strikeouts For Troops, the national program founded by Barry Zito in 2005 to provide U.S. soldiers with "comforts of home" while they are being treated for injuries at military hospitals throughout the country, will be part of the festivities this Sunday, March 12 when the Oakland A's play the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.

Zito will contribute $100 for every strikeout thrown by an A's pitcher during the game, will host 100 soldiers from Phoenix's Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center, Arizona's Air and Army National Guard and will participate in the first-pitch ceremony. Tru West Credit Union, based in Phoenix, will match Barry's donation.

Strikeouts For Troops contributed in excess of $100,000 to assist wounded soldiers in making their recovery time a little easier and to help with travel and housing expenses for families. These funds came from the public contributions and nearly a full roster of professional baseball pitchers and position players who pledged money for each strikeout thrown, hits, homeruns and RBIs.

Joining Zito as participants from the A's last season were pitchers Dan Haren, Rich Harden, Kirk Saarloos, Huston Street, Joe Blanton, Justin Duchscherer and position players Jason Kendall, Nick Swisher, Mark Kotsay, Eric Chavez, and Mark Ellis. Also participating were former A's Tim Hudson and Eric Byrnes, Cleveland's CC Sabathia and Matt Miller, Boston's Curt Schilling.

The organization is preparing to launch its 2006 campaign with the participation of its 2005 players and several new additions. For more information on Strikeouts For Troops, please visit www.strikeoutsfortroops.org