Food and fantasies will help raise funds
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
Baseball fantasies are some of the items up for auction at the fifth annual Grand Slam Celebration, a fund-raiser for the University of Hawai'i baseball program.
The event is 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday at the Stan Sheriff Center. Proceeds are used to make up any differences from the baseball program's budget and help pay for equipment, travel and recruiting, UH coach Mike Trapasso said.
"Our goal is to try to net at least $50,000," Trapasso said. "Some years we make it, some years we come really close (to that goal)."
Those attending also can meet the 2007 team, which opens the season Jan. 26 with a three-game series against Santa Clara.
The highlight of the event is a live auction. Among the items up for bid are trips that include baseball tickets to pro games, such as:
There also will be silent auction items that include hotel stays, dinners at restaurants, autographed items (a football by Dick Butkus and a baseball by Brooks Robinson), Neighbor Island trips. A raffle will be held for two round-trip tickets to the West Coast on Hawaiian Air.
Pupu will be provided by 3660 on the Rise, Big City Diner, The Chart House, Compadres Bar & Grille, Sergio's, Side Street Inn and Sodexho. There also will be wine and beer tasting from Anheuser-Busch, Better Brands, Paradise Beverages and Southern Wines & Spirits. Music will be performed by Imua.
Tickets are $75 per person or $850 for a corporate table. Portions of the prices are tax-deductible. Included with each ticket are two complimentary tickets to the UH-Georgia Southern game on Feb. 2.
For information, call the UH baseball office at 956-6247.
NOTES
With 13 days left before UH's season opener, Rainbows pitcher Mark Rodrigues' sixth-year of eligibility still has not been settled, Trapasso said. Rodrigues is trying to qualify for a medical redshirt because he missed two seasons while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
The Alumni game is set for 1 p.m. Jan. 20 at Les Murakami Stadium. Recent alums such as Matt Inouye, Robbie Wilder and Justin Costi are expected to play. Clary Carlsen and Tim Montgomery, both drafted and signed out of UH, have since been released and are also expected to play.
Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.
