Baseball Assistance Team

By Paulie Knep
Love of Sports Correspondent

Sunday afternoon, long-time Yankee player and broadcaster Bobby Murcer passed away from brain cancer at the age of 62.

Murcer wasn’t a legend along the lines of Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio or Mantle, but he was one of the most well-liked and respected people to ever don the pinstripes. As Reggie Jackson put it, “If there’s a Hall of Fame for people, he’s in it.”

Murcer was an optimist, who provided current Yankee players with words of encouragement, no matter how poorly they may have been peforming. He had an infectious smile and treated everybody from Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter to the clubhouse attendants at Yankee Stadium with kindness and compassion.

His compassion for others was evident in his work as chairman of the Baseball Assistance Team. B.A.T. is a not-for-profit charitable foundation which was formed in 1986 by Major League Baseball players to help members of the baseball “family” who have fallen on hard times and need assistance.

Based out of the MLB offices in New York, B.A.T. benefits former players, scouts, coaches, umpires, front office employees and anybody else who was affiliated with baseball. To date, the foundation’s granted over $60 million to more than 2,000 different people in need of assistance.

Previous generations of ballplayers didn’t receive the outrageous salaries today’s ballplayers earn, and many are struggling to pay their bills or meet medical expenses in their old age. Notable recipients of B.A.T. donations are Negro League players who were barred from playing in the major leagues and major leaguers who played prior to the implementation of the MLB pension plan in 1947.

The assistance provided by B.A.T. takes many forms, including health care, financial grants, rehabilitative counseling or whatever is required to attain some type of comfort for people who were involved with baseball and their families.

B.A.T.’s Board of Directors and Advisory Board includes numerous former players, such as Joe Morgan, Whitey Ford, Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, Willie Mays, Jim Palmer and Joe Girardi. Many other former players can be seen mingling with attendees and signing autographs at B.A.T.’s annual fundraiser dinner.

Every spring training, representatives from B.A.T. and it’s benefactors tour MLB clubhouses and explain the goals and accomplishments of the organization to current players, coaches and team staff. This year, B.A.T. raised $1.4 million in donations from players and team personnel, brining their six year spring training fundraising total to over $6 million.

On June 7 and 8, former professional baseball, football, basketball and hockey players teed off against each other in the Pro Sports Team Challenge Golf Tournament at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in California, and the proceeds were divided among four charities of the participant’s choosing. Former baseball players Ozzie Smith, George Brett, Bret Saberhagen and Vince Coleman donated their winnings to B.A.T.

B.A.T. will miss the passion and enthusiasm that Bobby Murcer brought to the cause, though the foundation will continue to embody his generous and compassionate spirit by helping members of the baseball family who are in need.

For more information about the Baseball Assistance Team visit http://www.baseballassistanceteam.com.