Make Your Mark on August 24! 3rd Annual Softball Tournament Takes Place in Northborough
Friday, July 26, 2013 at 2:15PM Play ball! Teams are forming now for the 3rd Annual Make Your Mark Softball Tournament, sponsored by nonprofit The Mark Fidrych Foundation.
The tournament – the foundation’s biggest event – is scheduled for Saturday, August 24, at Memorial and Casey Fields in Northborough. It will be a fun-filled day, with activities like face painting and balloon-making for the kids and appearances by Boston sports celebrities to thrill the kid in all of us.
You can sign up to play in the softball tournament now at Chet’s Diner on Route 20 in Northborough. On the day of the event, registration begins at 9 a.m. Festivities get underway at with a 10 a.m. Opening Ceremony, followed by a noon raffle of a wide assortment of donated items, such as signed sports memorabilia, Red Sox tickets, and golf packages.
The foundation is named for one of Northborough’s best known and most loved residents, the late Mark Fidrych. Back in 1976, when he was named Rookie of the Year after his first year pitching with the Detroit Tigers, Fidrych singlehandedly made that entire city smile, and soon the rest of the country was taking notice, too. His signature mop of blond curls earned him the nickname “The Bird,’’ for his resemblance to Big Big. He was thrilled to play in the big leagues, and his enthusiasm rubbed off on fans. A combination of this disarming charm and quirky habits like talking to the ball landed him on the cover of Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated, and many other magazines. His career was cut short by an injury and he returned home to Northborough, but he continued his charitable work until, sadly, he died in a 2009 accident.
The Mark Fidrych Foundation is a registered 501(c)3 organization and donations are tax-deductible. Last year, the Make Your Mark Softball Tournament raised more than $46,000, thanks to the support and participation of the community. Proceeds benefit nonprofits that give children with physical, mental and emotional challenges the chance to play sports. This spring, the foundation subsidized registration fees for children playing in area Little League Challenger Divisions and sponsored an adaptive skiing trip to Loon Mountain for autistic children.
Learn more about The Mark Fidrych Foundation by visiting markfidrychfoundation.org. Donations may be made online or by contacting Mark Philbin at 978-833-7198. Follow the foundation on Twitter @MFidrychFndn and on Facebook. Thank you for your support!
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