DOUCETTE TO DEFEND HOME RUN DERBY CROWN … IN PINK
Dartmouth Moosehead Dry slugger, Darren Doucette, is ecstatic that he will be outfitted in a pink t-shirt when he takes to the field to defend the home run crown he won at last year’s home run derby prior to the Canadian Senior Baseball Championship.
His wife, Alana, is responsible for the dress code for all the sluggers entered in the derby this year, having thrown her energy into raising funds for Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Run for the Cure. Last summer’s diagnosis of breast cancer was a heavy burden for both to carry during the season and at the national tournament. With a clean bill of health given over her last four physician visits, though reconstructive surgery will be required in the fall, Alana has turned her attention to continuing the fundraising effort that netted over $6,000. for the cancer society last season. The decision to tie the event in with the national championship seemed like a perfect way to increase the reach to fans and players alike.
The cancer society has thrown its full weight behind the effort and will be prominent in its assistance at the event. Besides the pink t-shits worn by the players, fans will be able to purchase pink souvenir t-shirts. Pink ribbons will adorn the field and the fence surrounding Beazley Field. A girl’s team from LWF will don pink uniforms to chase down balls that stay within the park. There will be an opportunity for fans, young and old alike, to dress up in anything pink and win some prizes provided by civic-minded companies like Tim Horton’s, Cleve’s Source for Sports, and Grandview Golf and Country Club. Patrons will be asked to make a cash donation to Run for the Cure in lieu of paying an admission at the gate.
In the derby itself, each player will be given the opportunity to drive balls over the wall at Beazley. Each will have rounds of 10 pitches and then 5 pitches with the top two leaders meeting head to head after the round-robin. When the last out is reached for each batter a pink baseball will be delivered and if that ball is knocked over the fence, a fan will win a prize.
“Our goal is simply to make this evening a fun event, but to make people more aware of breast cancer occurrence and educate as many people as possible”, Alana says of the purpose of the night. Meanwhile husband, Darren, readies for his defense and simply says, “I couldn’t be happier with how things have turned out for us as a family, we’re all going to be wearing pink, even my teammates will be cheering me on, and most certainly in pink too.”
