GOODTIMERS SOFTBALL MAKES PITCH FOR ALS

It’s a group of over-50 something softball players that still love the game and value their friendship. The ‘Goodtimers’ Softball Association in Lexington, Massachusetts hold a reunion once a year that brings together a thirty year history of friendships that were formed on the softball diamond. “We get together at this reunion to renew old friendships and raise money for a worthy cause. We played ball with Fran Delaney and we were shocked and saddened to hear he had been diagnosed with ALS. Fran is a great guy with a lot of friends and we all wanted to do something to help. This is our way of giving something back for the fun and friendship we’ve had playing softball together.” said Bob Burbidge, Director of the Alumni Association.

The reunion included a dinner and softball marathon with celebrity players including Red Sox alumni pitcher Bill ‘The Spaceman’ Lee and raised more than $5,000 for the Fran Delaney Foundation. The Foundation’s mission is to raise awareness and money to support ALS research. “I am really thankful that so many of my good friends from the Goodtimers Softball Association have joined our fight to put an end to this devastating disease,” said Fran Delaney. He continued, “This always has been a great bunch of guys and this fundraiser was pretty special.”

The Fran Delaney Foundation has now raised more than $1.4 million for research that will hopefully lead to a treatment for Lou Gehrig’s Disease, also known as ALS. The proceeds from this event have been directed to the Day Neuromuscular ALS Research Lab under the direction of Dr. Robert Brown at Massachusetts General Hospital.