Release #299-00

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today threw out the first pitch to kick off the Third Annual David Cone Charity Softball Tournament. This day-long event, which was postponed due to rain on July 31st, will benefit: the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; the ALS Association; the Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center; the Baseball Assistance Team (BAT), the Central Park Conservancy and the City's Parks Foundation.

Softball teams from New York City's corporate community, coached by major league baseball stars, have each donated $10,000 to compete in today's round-robin tournament which is expected to raise more than $100,000.

"It's a pleasure to be here today to kick off the Third Annual David Cone Charity Softball Tournament," said Mayor Giuliani. "Time and time again, David Cone has proved himself with gutsy performances in tough situations on the field. Through his efforts each year in organizing this tournament, David has made a tremendous commitment to his local community and to the various organizations that will benefit from today's tournament. I want to thank David for his efforts and the various businesses that are fielding teams, and look forward to participating in next year's tournament."

More than 15 New York City businesses have fielded teams of 15 players each to compete in today's tournament. The championship team will attend a night game at Yankee Stadium in a luxury suite and will receive a pre-game visit from David Cone. The members of the second place team will each receive 30 tickets to an upcoming Yankee game.

Among the various organizations that will benefit from the proceeds of today's tournament are:

• The ALS Association, the only national not-for-profit voluntary health organization dedicated solely to the fight against Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.
  
  
• The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the world's oldest and largest private institution devoted to prevention, patient care, research, and education in cancer.
  
  
• The Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center, a resource for the New York City area, treats more than 22,000 children a year for serious illnesses.
  
  
• BAT, which is comprised of former major league players and community representatives who have come together to assist members of the baseball family who have come upon hard times. It was founded in 1986 by former Major League Commissioner Peter Uberroth and the late John Carter, President and CEO of The Equitable, as part of Major League Baseball's corporate sponsorship program.
  
  
• The Central Park Conservancy, a not-for-profit foundation formed in 1980 that manages Central Park. The Conservancy provides Central Park with two-thirds of its annual operating budget, funds major capital improvements, and provides horticultural care and management.

www.nyc.gov