The Longtime
Hamptons
Tradition of
the Annual
Artists &
Writers
Softball
Game Paid
Tribute to
the late
Hollywood
star Roy
Scheider.
Saturday
Aug. 16,
2008 dozens
of the
Hamptons
most
celebrated
artists,
actors,
politicians
and writers
gathered
once again
in East
Hampton to
compete in
the 60th
Annual
Celebrity
Softball
Game to
benefit
three worthy
local
charities
East End
Hospice,
East Hampton
Day Care and
Phoenix
House.
Sixty years
is an
amazing
tradition!
And this
year was all
the more
meaningful
as it paid
tribute to a
former
regular
player in
the game -
the late
actor Roy
Scheider who
passed away
in March.
Held at
Herrick Park
in historic
East Hampton
at the
height of
the summer
season in
the Hamptons,
the game
brings out
thousands of
local fans
and scores
of
celebrities
to cheer on
their famous
friends and
neighbors.
Prior to the
game
beginning
filmmaker
and actress
Brenda
Siemer
Scheider,
Roy's widow
accepted on
behalf of
her husband
a very
special Most
Valuable
Player
Award.
Also honored
at the
opening
ceremony
were fallen
members of
our U.S.
Military
forces who
gave their
lives in
Iraq and
Afghanistan.
Congressman
Tim Bishop
of
Southampton
introduced
and paid a
special
tribute to
nine of the
families
from Suffolk
County who
attended the
game who
lost their
husbands,
sons,
fathers, and
brothers.
He asked for
a moment of
silent
prayer for
them and all
our troops.
Then the
national
anthem and
the coin
toss for
first up.
After nine
tightly
played
innings,
some
arguments
over
technicalities,
close calls,
and a few
crowd
pleasing
shenanigans,
the Artists
trumped the
Writers 4 to
2. But the
most
important
score of the
day was the
money raised
for the
three local
charities.
It amounted
to more than
90,000
dollars,
most of
which came
from the
generosity
of the
sponsors who
hang their
banners on
the batting
cage and
post a page
in the
program.
For more
information
go to the
web site at
www.artistswritersgame.com
or contact
game
organizer
Leif Hope at
leifhope@gmail.com
or
alisonmilano@gmail.com