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Stars Shine In Charity Game

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By LEE DIEKEMPER

Tribune correspondent

Published: March 17, 2008

CLEARWATER - At the annual "Baseball for Kids" Legends Game at Bright House Networks Field in Clearwater on Sunday, an annual old-timers game featuring some of the game's greats, Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller tossed a perfect 2/3 of an inning.

Feller started the game for the American League, as his custom.

As he left the mound, he stopped periodically to shake hands with players and to bow and wave his cap to the standing ovation of the more than 4,500 fans.

The game is held annually to raise money for both All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg and the MLB Players Alumni Association.

Among the stars who took the field were Wade Boggs, Gaylord Perry, Bert Campaneris, Jim "Mudcat" Grant, Darrell Evans, Jeff Torborg, Doug Drabek and Dave Kingman. Fergie Jenkins did not play but signed autographs.

The game also featured some local celebrities, including former Bucs fullback Mike Alstott and Bucs players Michael Pittman, Adam Hayward and Micheal Spurlock. Former Olympic softball pitcher and Treasure Island resident Michelle Smith also played.

The duo of Alstott and Boggs won the home-run derby.

BRAVES: Right-fielder Jeff Francoeur, who still has a plate in his head from a serious beaning in 2004, walked away with a busted lip this time.

Francoeur was down for a few minutes after being struck by a pitch from Todd Wellemeyer, but did not lose consciousness and walked off the field accompanied by a trainer.

X-rays were negative and Francoeur could be back in the lineup in a few days.

Francoeur had the orbital bone around his right eye broken in 2004 when he played for Class-A Myrtle Beach.

METS: Carlos Delgado needed four stitches to close a bloody gash in his arm after being struck by the jagged barrel of a broken bat in a split-squad game against the Tigers.

Pedro Martinez pitched four scoreless innings in his spring training debut and catcher Ramon Castro left after feeling a twinge in his right hamstring.

CUBS: Center fielder Felix Pie returned to the lineup for the first time since undergoing a surgical procedure to alleviate what the Cubs called "testicular torsion."

DODGERS: The team, which will train in Arizona next spring, plays its final game at Dodgertown in Vero Beach today.

INDIANS: Grady Sizemore went 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBIs in a 7-6 loss to the Yankees. He has five homers this spring.

PIRATES: Pitcher Ian Snell agreed to three-year contract worth at least $8 million.

RED SOX: Ace Josh Beckett threw a ball 75 feet without back pain but will not travel with the team to Tokyo.

ROYALS: Hideo Nomo was told that if his comeback with the team succeeds, it will be as a reliever, not a starter. Nomo had not pitched in the majors since 2005, going 5-8 with a 7.24 ERA in 19 starts with Tampa Bay. He had elbow surgery in 2006.

YANKEES: Former Yankees catcher Jim Leyritz, facing DUI manslaughter charges, visited former teammates before the game with Cleveland.

Information from Tribune wires was used in this report.

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