April 27, 2006

Barry Zito’s Strikeouts For Troops Celebrity Bash Raises $50,000 With Help Of The Oakland A’s, Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers And Golden State Warriors Players

Two recuperating soldiers were flown in and receive cash grants; Live conversations take place between athletes and soldiers on assignment abroad

OAKLAND, Calif. - Players from four of the Bay Area’s major sports teams acted as bartenders; the surprise visit of two recuperating U.S. soldiers and calls from service members serving abroad were among the highlights of Barry Zito’s Strikeouts For Troops Celebrity Bash held April 20 at the Pyramid Alehouse in Walnut Creek.

The event, which raised $50,000, was held to commemorate the first anniversary of the unique program founded by Zito that directs cash pledges for on-field performance by 25 Major League Baseball players to wounded U.S. military recuperating at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Bethesda Naval Hospital and other military hospitals around the U.S.

The evening kicked off with an All-Star cast of the celebrity bartenders and supporters, including Zito’s teammates Nick Swisher, Huston Street, Joe Blanton, Bobby Crosby, Dan Haren, Esteban Loaiza, Joe Kennedy, Adam Melhuse, and Mark Kotsay; Oakland Raiders offensive lineman Barry Sims; Golden State Warriors’ forward Mike Dunleavy; and San Francisco 49ers fullback Chris Hetherington.

However, the evening was highlighted for Zito and others in attendance when two recuperating soldiers -- flown from Brooks Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX -- U.S. Army Specialist Stephanie Browning and U.S Army Sergeant Doug Szczepanski of the Michigan State National Guard, were introduced and presented a cash grant from Strikeouts For Troops.

“I was really moved to see Specialist Browning and Sergeant Szczepanski come into the room and be greeted so warmly. This is what our program is all about and why I started it in the first place – to honor these great Americans. It was an experience I don’t think any of us will soon forget,” explained Zito.

Several soldiers serving in Iraq and in other places around the world, had a chance to participate by calling in and speaking to the players as part of Fox Sports Radio’s J.T. the Brick’s national show.

To date, Strikeouts For Troops has provided nearly $100,000 in cash grants so that the wounded troops’ hospital stay and recovery will be more comfortable. These funds have been used for providing some comforts of home -- such as clothes, books, DVDs, nights out at the movie theater, trips to baseball games, and even to cover baby sitting so that the troops and their family members can be near. In addition, hundreds of soldiers and their families have been treated to Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner, holiday gifts, and assistance with family travel expenses to visit the soldier during his or her rehabilitation process at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Hospital.

The event was presented by Pyramid Alehouse Walnut Creek, Wasserman Media Group, Fox Sports Radio and 95.7 MAX FM. Other corporate sponsors participating were Chase Chevrolet of Stockton, FSN Bay Area, Oakland A's, Printsight.com, and Brenden Theaters.

Strikeouts For Troops is a national project funded by contributions to the "Strikeouts For Troops Fund" at The Community Foundation For the National Capital Region.