MLB Stepping Up to the Plate - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Blackthorn · 09-03-2005, 10:36 AM

This is outstanding...

Quote:

Casey and teammates to donate game check

By John Fay
Enquirer staff writer

ATLANTA - The Reds didn't see the effects of Hurricane Katrina up close, but they felt the ripple during the three days they spent in Houston.

"It was unbelievable," Sean Casey said. "Every time I got on the elevator in the hotel, I'd meet people who had evacuated.

"You could see on their faces that they were distraught."

That moved Casey to action.

He called media relations director Rob Butcher and got things started.

The players decided to donate one day's pay to aid the victims of the hurricane.

The donation will amount to about $230,000.

For Casey, who makes $7.8 million a year, that amounts to about $43,000.

For players making the major-league minimum of $316,000, it amounts to about $1,750.

Casey's hoping Major League Baseball will match what the Reds donate.

"It's a good chunk of change," Casey said. "Everybody's been watching what's going on. It's a state of emergency. People need to act now and help as much as they can.

"Obviously, we can afford to give more than the average person, but $10 or $20 will help."

All major-league teams did a similar thing for victims of Sept. 11, 2001.

In this case, the Reds are taking the lead. Casey said he didn't know of other teams doing the same.

The donation will be made Wednesday, which is Roberto Clemente Day throughout in Major League Baseball.

The Reds will "pass the hat" at the 12:35 p.m. game with the Brewers that day at Great American Ball Park to allow fans to donate.

Major League Baseball will match the amount of money collected at all 15 games that day, up to $1 million each.

pan6467 · 09-03-2005, 12:31 PM

That's right uh huh uh huh...... that's why Cincy has a team one can love no matter how they play (which hasn't been bad as of late)....... Casey deserves the label "nicest guy in baseball" (believe SI dubbed him that a few years back.)

maleficent · 09-03-2005, 01:20 PM

that's very cool -- good for them -and it's nice to see a baseball player getting their name in the paper for doing something good off the field...

Borla · 09-03-2005, 05:47 PM

That is very admirable. I saw that several NFL players are calling for $1000 per player donations. While that is nice, what the Red's players did is even better.

maleficent · 09-03-2005, 05:58 PM

Dunn calls on NFL players to donate collectively

Quote:

GEORGE HENRY

Associated Press

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. - As he flew on the team charter to south Florida this week, Atlanta Falcons running back Warrick Dunn was overcome with dismay over disasters that have followed the path of Hurricane Katrina.

Dunn, a Louisiana native, was so distracted that Falcons coach Jim Mora held him out of Atlanta's 20-17 victory over Miami in the preseason finale Thursday night.

"He was pretty emotional," Mora said. "We just thought it was best for him to stand and watch the game from the sidelines."

It wasn't long before Dunn put his philanthropic experience to work. Believing he could challenge every NFL player to donate $5,000, Dunn realized the league's Players Association could raise $8.48 million to help hurricane victims.

"At first, I thought about $10,000 because right now people need money," Dunn said Friday afternoon. "Everybody's going to try to send clothes, food, but people need money so they can start getting back on their feet. People don't have jobs, clothes on their back. People have lost everything, but I think guys can afford to donate $5,000. There's a lot of guys that make a lot of money."

He hopes that the NFLPA representative on each team can hold a meeting early next week, though the New Orleans Saints are exempt.

Dunn already has contacted Buffalo cornerback Troy Vincent and two of his former Tampa Bay teammates, Buccaneers linebacker Derrick Brooks and Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Warren Sapp.

"I just think we can have a long-lasting effect on people's lives if we can do things together instead of as individuals," Dunn said. "I just felt like when you're sitting at home and everyone's calling you and everyone's pretty much in distress, it's like, 'I have to do something.' "

Katrina has displaced numerous Dunn family members, many of whom live in his hometown of Baton Rouge. He talks several times a day with his brother, Derrick Green, to receive reports and find out who's still missing and who's been tracked down.

"The uncle, the one that nobody one knew where he was at, is in Baton Rouge," Dunn said. "We're still looking for some cousins. My grandfather - he came up. It's just a blessing, but I have so many family members that have just lost everything. Their homes and everything. I have a bunch of friends that are just traumatized. There's still a lot of people they haven't heard from. Their family members, parents, kids separated from their moms."

Dunn, a ninth-year NFL veteran, has a successful background in touching people's lives. With help from the Warrick Dunn Foundation, 45 single mothers have become first-time homeowners and moved into fully furnished houses with 120 children in Atlanta, Baton Rouge and Tampa.

Though his philanthropy in the last seven months earned him the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year Award and recognition as Sporting News' No. 1 Good Guy, Dunn insists that the Katrina campaign isn't about promoting his name.

He declined to say how much he will donate personally. Dunn signed a six-year $28.5 million contract when he joined the Falcons in March 2002.

"I can definitely give more than $5,000. I am," Dunn said. "But this is not just about me. It's about getting everyone involved."

Knowing that some potential donors might be skeptical of their money's destination, Dunn believes many agencies, such as the Salvation Army, use the funds wisely.

"We'd have a list of charities, and say, 'These are the ones that effective. Which ones do you want to do?' This lets guys vote on where they want to put money, and we can put money in different areas," Dunn said. "Guys want to see where the money's going to be used, not just that you're giving it to somebody and one half's going to overhead and one's half going someplace else. They want to know that it's being used and used right."

Dunn's team, which opens the regular season Sept. 12 against Philadelphia, is also raising money through its online store at Atlanta's Perimeter Mall. The club promises to donate 10 percent of all sales and the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation will match all the donation funds to the American Red Cross from those sales.

Also, on Saturday from 2-4 p.m., linebacker Keith Brooking, quarterback Matt Schaub, defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux, receivers Michael Jenkins and Brian Finneran and fullbacks Justin Griffith and Fred McCrary will appear at the Perimeter Mall store. The first 400 fans are guaranteed an autograph.

Nice to see the good guys exist in football too.. .

thatoneguy · 09-03-2005, 07:40 PM

It's kind of already been said, but I think it's wonderful what all these professional athletes are doing for the victims of the hurricane. Sure, what they've donated won't really make a dent in their personal finances, but it's much more than I can afford to do, so I commend them for it.

I just feel like it's kind of nice to read storied about athletes that aren't about the fact that they got arrested, or tested positive for steroids, or drugs, or whatever. The nice guys don't get enough press, if you ask me.

MikeSty · 09-04-2005, 07:18 PM

[QUOTE=thatoneguy[
I just feel like it's kind of nice to read storied about athletes that aren't about the fact that they got arrested, or tested positive for steroids, or drugs, or whatever. The nice guys don't get enough press, if you ask me.[/QUOTE]

Nope, but we all know in our hearts that the good guys are out there and doing a good job

I like the way Warrick Dunn put it - it's not about how much HE can donate, it's about how much everyone together can donate. A lot of people will snicker and say "god they have so much more, they should be more courteous", screw them, this is such a great generousity of players everywhere. We can repay them by rooting for them

Go Reds!!

09-03-2005, 12:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
pan6467 Lennonite Priest Location: Mansfield, Ohio USA	That's right uh huh uh huh...... that's why Cincy has a team one can love no matter how they play (which hasn't been bad as of late)....... Casey deserves the label "nicest guy in baseball" (believe SI dubbed him that a few years back.) __________________ I just love people who use the excuse "I use/do this because I LOVE the feeling/joy/happiness it brings me" and expect you to be ok with that as you watch them destroy their life blindly following. My response is, "I like to put forks in an eletrical socket, just LOVE that feeling, can't ever get enough of it, so will you let me put this copper fork in that electric socket?"

09-03-2005, 01:20 PM	#3 (permalink)
maleficent Junkie Moderator Emeritus Location: Chicago	that's very cool -- good for them -and it's nice to see a baseball player getting their name in the paper for doing something good off the field... __________________ Free your heart from hatred. Free your mind from worries. Live simply. Give more. Expect less.

09-03-2005, 05:47 PM	#4 (permalink)
Borla Junkie	That is very admirable. I saw that several NFL players are calling for $1000 per player donations. While that is nice, what the Red's players did is even better. __________________ Coimhéad fearg fhear na foighde!!!!

09-03-2005, 07:40 PM	#6 (permalink)
thatoneguy Crazy Location: Omaha, NE	It's kind of already been said, but I think it's wonderful what all these professional athletes are doing for the victims of the hurricane. Sure, what they've donated won't really make a dent in their personal finances, but it's much more than I can afford to do, so I commend them for it. I just feel like it's kind of nice to read storied about athletes that aren't about the fact that they got arrested, or tested positive for steroids, or drugs, or whatever. The nice guys don't get enough press, if you ask me. __________________ "Thank you for flying Church of England, cake or death?"

09-04-2005, 07:18 PM	#7 (permalink)
MikeSty The Computer Kid :D Location: 127.0.0.1	[QUOTE=thatoneguy[ I just feel like it's kind of nice to read storied about athletes that aren't about the fact that they got arrested, or tested positive for steroids, or drugs, or whatever. The nice guys don't get enough press, if you ask me.[/QUOTE] Nope, but we all know in our hearts that the good guys are out there and doing a good job I like the way Warrick Dunn put it - it's not about how much HE can donate, it's about how much everyone together can donate. A lot of people will snicker and say "god they have so much more, they should be more courteous", screw them, this is such a great generousity of players everywhere. We can repay them by rooting for them Go Reds!!