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Devil Rays boost Largo charity team
By DAVE SHELTON
| Article published on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2006 |
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![[Image]](/content_images/092106_lle-01.jpg) |
| Largo police Officer Chris Berard, left, thanks Tampa Bay Devil Rays General Manager Joe Maddon for the baseball team’s donation of uniforms for the Largo police team. A recent softball game raised $3,800 for an officer’s medical expenses. |
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LARGO – The Tampa Bay Devil Rays have come to the aid of a police softball team embarrassed recently by the Clearwater police department’s team.
Wearing shorts and police department T-shirts, the Largo officers were outshined by the Clearwater police team that was wearing spiffy jerseys donated by the National League Philadelphia Phillies who spend their winters in Clearwater.
“The Clearwater players looked like professionals when they took the field as they were all wearing Philadelphia Phillies baseball jerseys and hats,” said police Sgt. Ed Sohoski.
The game was being played to raise money for a Largo officer diagnosed with a rare type of brain tumor, according to Sohoski. The Largo team, which was quickly organized for the game, was drubbed by the Clearwater cops.
The game successfully raised $3,800 for their fellow officer who has since returned to work.
Sure, they lost, but, of more lasting embarrassment to these proud cops, Sohoski said, was Largo’s lack of a legitimate uniform.
That’s when one of their own, Capt. Michelle Pearson suggested they had nothing to lose by asking the American League Devil Rays if they had any old uniforms that the softball team could use.
Or, she suggested, they might contribute money for the charities the team planned to support. She put them in touch with Devil Rays Vice President Rick Vaughn.
Officer Chris Berard then told Vaughn of the team’s goal and need for uniforms. He asked for any old, unused jerseys the cops might wear.
“They acted fast,” Sohoski said. “Within just two days they called to inform us that the Devil Rays would provide us with jerseys and hats.”
What the local cops hadn’t expected, though, was that each jersey would be imprinted with the officer’s name just like the professional ballplayer’s uniforms.
Nor did they expect the warm welcome they received when they went to pick them up. Several officers and team members went to St. Petersburg and each was given a pre-game pass to go onto the playing field during batting practice at Tropicana Field.
On the field, they were introduced to Rays Manager Joe Maddon who posed with them for pictures and chatted with each officer.
Then, they were Rays guests during the game that followed.
Dubbed The Largo Police Devil Rays by police Chief Lester Aradi, the 15-member team’s first game in the Largo Softball League was Sept. 18 at Whitesell Field on Walsingham Road.
Plans are under way now for another charity game scheduled in November at the Thresher’s Field in Clearwater, Sohoski said. He said it will be an 8-team tournament for either one charity or for each participating team’s favorite.
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Article published on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2006
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