Orioles great
and others to help local aquarium and museum
By Will Collette
I don’t normally
focus much on baseball, but maybe this winter weather has gotten me into the
frame of mind where if I think about baseball, it will hasten the arrival of
spring.
It was easy to
think about baseball after getting a notice from the Mystic Aquarium that they
are sharing in a March 17 fundraiser at the Foxwoods Casino featuring Cal
Ripkin and others for an afternoon of “sports talk.”
The proceeds
will benefit the Mystic Aquarium, the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research
Center and the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation.
The last year
Cathy and I were in Washington, we got tickets to see Ripken and the Orioles
play the Yankees at Camden Yard in Baltimore, one of those rare new baseball
stadiums that was perfectly designed for the game, a temple to baseball as it
is locally known.
That was Ripken’s
final year before he retired as the Orioles renowned “Iron Man” for his
dedication to the game and for his Major League Baseball record-setting 2,632
consecutive games played.
He came out
before the game started to talk to the kids, sign autographs and pose for
photos. Cathy’s big thrill was getting to see Derek Jetter play.
Anyway, it got
me thinking of spring and how nice it is to see a great player like Ripken help
out the Mystic Aquarium and the Pequot’s museum. The Aquarium’s notice, which
includes the details on how to get in, appears below.
I should also
note that the Mystic Aquarium’s Animal Rescue Team
did a seal release at Blue Shutters Beach in Charlestown on February 25. There
wasn’t any advance notice of this release, presumably because of the
uncertainty caused by our terrible local weather.
 |
| The team from the Aquarium sure looks frosty |
The
pup’s name is Bootes. She’s an eight-month old harbor seal originally found and
rescued in York, Maine and brought to Mystic for medical care and
rehabilitation to allow her to be released back into the wild. Bootes is the
first release by Mystic in 2015.
Here’s
the Aquarium’s notice about the Cal Ripken fund-raiser:
Fundraiser Featuring Jim Calhoun, Cal Ripken, Jr.
& Others to Benefit Local Charities
Tip Off with Cal
& Calhoun Lunch & Panel Discussion on March 17
Mystic, CT (February 24, 2015): Sports greats Cal
Ripken, Jr. and Coach Jim Calhoun will join
forces for an incredible afternoon of sports talk on Tuesday, March 17 at
Foxwoods Resort Casino. Tickets for the inaugural Tip-Off with Cal &
Calhoun are on sale now. For more information, visit mysticaquarium.org. The
luncheon and panel discussion will also feature hall of fame coach Bob Hurley.
Proceeds from this unique event will benefit Mystic
Aquarium, The Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center and the Cal
Ripken, Sr. Foundation.
Cal Ripken Jr. earned the moniker "Iron
Man" for his Major League Baseball record-setting 2,632 consecutive games
played. He played 21 seasons for the Baltimore Orioles as both a third baseman
and shortstop. Ripken retired from Major League Baseball in 2001 and was
elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. He and his brother Bill Ripken,
also a retired major leaguer, started the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation in honor
of their father, Cal Sr. The organization runs baseball and softball programs
for underprivileged children.
Jim Calhoun is one of the most decorated coaches in
NCAA history, steering the UConn Huskies Men’s Basketball teams to over 600
victories and three national titles during his 26 year tenure. Beginning his
career with Northeastern University in Boston, MA, Calhoun is one of only a few
collegiate coaches to have amassed over 800 victories. Now retired, Coach
Calhoun is a member of both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and
the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. Coach Calhoun remains active
in the community supporting many philanthropic endeavors. He also serves on the
Board of Trustees for Mystic Aquarium.
Bob Hurley is among the most decorated coaches in
all of high school sports. He is the head coach of the boy’s basketball team at
St. Anthony’s High School in Jersey City, NJ. He has 27 State Championships to
his credit including a string of eight straight from 1983-1991. His teams have
also earned four National Championships. Hurley is one of only 10 coaches in high
school sports history to win 1,000 games. His accolades include multiple “Coach
of the Year” awards. Coach Hurley was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame
in 2010; only the third high school coach ever to earn that honor.
A VIP reception will be held from 11:00am-12:00pm,
followed by lunch and panel discussion from 12:30-2:00pm. With the combined
experiences of these three panelists the discussion is sure to be enlightening,
entertaining, and animated. Learn all there is to know about winning from some
of the sports world's greatest.
Tickets are priced at $250 each. Entire tables are
also available. For sponsorship information or to purchase tickets for the
March 17 Tip-off with Cal & Calhoun, please contact Roslyn Gilhuly at
203.215.3943 or Roz.Gilhuly@yahoo.com.
About Mystic Aquarium
Mystic Aquarium
is a division of Sea Research Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit 501(c)3
organization, and is counted among the nation’s leading aquariums with more
than 300 species and an extensive collection of marine mammals, including New
England’s only beluga whales. Mystic Aquarium has been a pioneer in offering
guests a variety of up close encounters with a wide range of marine animals.
The mission of Mystic Aquarium is to inspire people to care for and protect our
ocean environment through conservation, education and research. Sea
Research receives major support from United Technologies Corporation, The
Coca-Cola Company and Foxwoods Resort Casino. Learn more at mysticaquarium.org.