By BOB ETTINGER - bettinger@starbeacon.com
Staff Writer
—
If nothing else, 13-year-old Bailey Beckwith now knows patience is a virtue after trying to organize the Celebrity Softball Game.
“I learned you’ve to be patient and wait for a reply,” Beckwith, the daughter of Tracey and Bill Beckwith said. “You have to be patient. You have to ask and if you don’t get a reply after a week, you have to send the message again. You’ve got to keep your patience.
“It paid off.”
The Celebrity Softball Game will feature 21 former softball stars from Ashtabula County and was a project Beckwith, 13, put together as a project for Girl Scout Troop 369. She is trying to raise money to help the JAGS Complex in order to earn the Silver Award.
“I’m really happy I picked this for my Silver Award,” Beckwith said.
Festivities will begin at noon Saturday at the JAGS Complex with a Home Run Derby. The seven-inning slowpitch game will follow at 2 p.m. Admission is free to the public and there will be a concession stand. A practice session will be held today at 6 p.m. at the Complex for any player involved in the contest.
Beckwith was able to raise all the money she needed to in order to hold the game.
“I got enough sponsors to pay for all of the costs,” she said.
Players for the Orange team will include Rachel Mansfield, Jackie Baird, Alexi Cash, Kathy (Rich) Douglas, Jennifer Obeshaw, Brittney Mackey, Trisha Dreslinski, Kim (Henson) Triskett, Kelly Henson, Krystal (Henson) Force and Beth Hooser.
The blue team’s members will include Ronda Carter, Courtney Francis, Heather Stoltz, Lynn Millard, Tammy McTrusty, Suzette Garvey, Mindy Marino, Becky (Malinowski) DeGeorge, Laura Pollander, Annie Evans and Sara Frain. Hannah Francis initially had agreed to play, but has left for orientation at Saint Francis (Pa.), where she will play softball with sister Courtney for area product and Sabrina Lane.
“I’m very excited to have all of the players play in the game for my Girl Scout Silver Award,” Beckwith said. “It’s just amazing.
“At first, I didn’t think I was going to have many players. But after it was in the paper, I got four or five replies. I was really happy. That was when I knew we would go through with it.”
A pair of legendary figures will skipper the two teams. Tom Henson will coach the Orange and the legendary Rod Holmes will lead the Blue.
“I knew Mr. Holmes from school and he’s really nice,” Beckwith said. “I knew he coached basketball for a lot years. Coach Henson was mom’s idea. We thought that since he had three daughters playing in the game, it was a good idea. And he’s a legend, too.”
Beckwith decided to go with a slow-pitch format to better display the stars’ skills.
“I don’t want to take anything away from the girls who graduated 10 years ago, but sometimes they haven’t been hitting and might not be able to catch up to fastpitch. I wanted it to be slowpitch because it would probably be easier.”
Making the game a little more fan-friendly was also the goal.
“With slowpitch, there will be a lot more home runs,” Beckwith said. “The game should be a lot more interesting. Plus, there will be hard-hit balls and people will have to make some good plays.”
