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* Ft Worth Star-Telegram
http://www.star-telegram.com/807/story/1432084.html
Sports greats play in charity baseball game
By TOBIAS XAVIER LOPEZtlopez@star-telegram.com
FRISCO - When the day started with Warren Sapp smack-talking Joey Fatone it was clear that baseball was
simply the vehicle for some large people and larger personalities to gather.
Sapp, a former NFL defensive tackle, provided the pregame trash-talk for the Black Socks and made sure to point out, "Oooh, Joey Fat One is here," as soon as Fatone entered the conference area.
Sapp and Fatone were part of a group of celebrity personalities gathered at the Dr Pepper Ballpark to raise money for the Mike Modano Foundation and The Heroes Baseball Program.
Though an afterthought, Modano and the Matt Williams-managed Black Socks won 11-8.
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* The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/stories/DN-peppard_0614gd.ART.State.Edition1.5107387.html
Alan Peppard: Modano, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone, Rich Behm
12:00 AM CDT on Sunday, June 14, 2009
By ALAN PEPPARD / The Dallas Morning News apeppard@dallasnews.com
The celebrities in town for this weekend's Reebok Heroes Celebrity Baseball game were among the thousands of people who had to go to Plan B when wrath-of-God thunderstorms struck Dallas.
Part of the proceeds from the game go to the Mike Modano Foundation, so it was fitting that Mike's restaurant, Hully & Mo, host the annual boys' night out for the players where everyone eats, drinks and teases one other about how bad they all play baseball.
Alas, Hully & Mo's got zapped with an electricity outage.
Happily, Bill Esping volunteered The Place at Perry's, the steakhouse across the street from Hully & Mo's named for Bill's late father, Perry Esping.
The testosterone-laden bash went ahead with Mike joined by teammates Brenden Morrow and Marty Turco as well as former 'N Sync members Lance Bass and Joey Fatone, baseball major-leaguer Ben Grieve and Mavericks GM Donnie Nelson.
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* The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/stories/DN-peppard15_0615gd.ART.State.Edition1.50c70a5.html
Mark Cuban, Willa Ford, Mike Modano and more
12:04 AM CDT on Wednesday, June 17, 2009
By ALAN PEPPARD
apeppard@dallasnews.com
Whatever adjectives you choose to describe Mark Cuban, competitive would have to be near the top of the list. At Saturday's Reebok Heroes Celebrity Baseball game, a charity event in Frisco, the Red Socks played the Black Socks. Both teams were made up of celebrities and a lot of current and former pro athletes.
But it was the Dallas Mavericks owner who hit the game-winning, two-run double at the top of the ninth inning to bring victory to the Black Socks in front of 5,000 people at Dr Pepper Ballpark.
For his effort, Mark was named game MVP.
Also contributing to the Black Socks' win was Dallas Cowboy Jason Witten, who is good at pulling down any kind of ball from the air.
During the game, Jason made a Willie Mays catch that won the crowd's respect.
Willa's with the band
The night before the big game, Celebrity Heroes players and VIPs gathered for an '80s-themed party at Centennial Hall at Fair Park featuring a performance by the band Steel Panther.
Those who stayed late enough got a brief serenade from singer Willa Ford and two-fifths of 'N Sync. Willa, Lance Bass and Joey
Fatone each took turns singing with the band.
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* The Star Courier
http://www.scntx.com/articles/2009/06/16/sports_update/455.txt
Charity game goes down to the wire
By Chris O'Dell Special to the Star Courier
(Created: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 6:34 PM CDT)
FRISCO -- The eighth annual Reebok Heroes Celebrity Baseball Game took place Saturday at the Dr Pepper Ballpark with multiple athletes and entertainers joining forces to raise money for several causes including the Heroes Foundation YOUniversity Program and the Mike Modano Foundation.
The athletes competing in the friendly, but competitive, baseball game were all aware of the importance that these foundations serve.
"We're in such a fortunate position, whether we like it or not, but we are, to take advantage of our time while we're in the middle of our careers to help raise awareness and money," said Marty Turco, Dallas Stars goalie. "And it's a wonderful thing."
The two baseball teams competing for these causes were the Red Socks and Black Socks. Each team was comprised of celebrity players and amateurs.
However, before the game took place, several celebrities competed in a home run derby to display the power, or lack thereof, that fans are rarely lucky enough to see.
...
Although most of the participants in Saturday's game were current or former athletes in at least one sport, some players were displaying their hidden
athleticism for the first time.
"It's my first year here so I'm really happy to be here," said Joey Fatone, former N'Sync member. "For me, it's like, I may not be the best player, but I make up for it in personality and spirit."
Fatone, who Sapp dubbed as "Joey Fat One" before the game, was Red Socks manager Wade Boggs' pick as a sleeper in the game.
"I feel like [Fatone is] going to give us a big hit," he said. "Maybe a base hit with runners on second and third to drive in two runs."
But Boggs, who had successfully managed in the event for multiple years, might have lost his magic touch for picking the big hitters as Fatone failed to contribute anything meaningful to his Red Socks team. In fact, during the sixth inning Fatone brought a chair out to right field to rest his unworked legs while enjoying a cold beverage.
"I got up the second time and Joey Fatone was sitting out in right field," said Mark Cuban, Dallas Mavericks owner. "I'm like, I've got to hit the ball to right, and I hit it hard, but right at the second baseman."
However, after giving a surprisingly good ballet performance after the seventh inning, Cuban got one last chance to show the crowd and his celebrity peers what kind of athlete he is.
With the game tied, 8-8, in the ninth inning, Cuban came up to the plate with runners on at first and second base with two outs. After falling behind in the count, Cuban nailed the ball down the first base line to score both runners and reach second base with a stand-up double.
After Cuban's Black Socks added another run in the ninth, his teammates closed it out in the bottom of the inning to give manager Matt Williams' team the 11-8 victory.
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