Swing 4 Scoot 100 Innings Game
Kingsley Collins
20 July 2015
Baseball people are renowned for their generosity of spirit when it comes to supporting causes that embrace our collective humanity during times of trauma and personal or family tragedy.
For over fifteen years, Scott Carrington lived with and battled cancer, along the way cramming plenty into a rich life that was taken at thirty years of age - far too soon.
To honour Scott’s memory and to provide tangible assistance to both his family and to others afflicted by cancer, three of his closest mates made a pact to organise two fund-raising events each year – including the Swing 4 Scoot game that was played in Brisbane ten days ago.
The Swing 4 Scoot concept was the brainchild of Andrew Buckley, Aaron Applefield and Ryan Thwaites, who collectively committed to running two major events each year designed to raise money for community charities and to directly assist Scott’s young family.
Inspired by Scott’s own initiative of running an annual golf day for cancer research, the boys made a pact to keep organising that project while introducing another – the 100 Innings Baseball Game that was first played in July of 2014.
The inaugural game raised over $ 25,000, a wonderful outcome that organisers and supporters are confident of building upon in years to come.
This time around, the game started at 9.00 AM on Saturday 11 July and it finished - after twenty-nine hours – at 1.00 PM on Sunday 12 July, spanning two venues. The game started at Windsor Royals Holloway Field, moved to Pine Hills baseball ground for the overnight leg because of noise restrictions and returned to Holloway Field the next morning.
Australian Baseball Alumni committeeman Grant McDonald – a driving force behind the Queensland Baseball Alumni group – played in the series, which attracted enormous interest and support on social media.
“The reason Holloway and Pine Hills were chosen was because Windsor Royals and Lightning were the teams Scott Carrington played for before he lost his battle with cancer in 2014,” Grant McDonald said.
While no-one was paying particular attention to the score – in deference to the far broader and more important purpose – the first base team won the game with a score of 123-104.
“More than a hundred and ten players were involved over the 100 innings,” Grant said. “It was another fantastic occasion organised by some of Scott’s very best mates.”
“Three guys played the entire match – Andrew Buckley, Ryan Thwaites and Joel McGuiness. All were sore and very tired, but thrilled to get through the hundred innings.”
Representing the QBACS Alumni group, Grant McDonald was one of twenty former Australian Baseball League and Claxton Shield players who suited up from 3.00 PM to 6.00 PM on the Saturday afternoon, along the way raising upwards of $ 1300 in their stint alone.
“It was physically tough going for some of us,” Grant said, “but the guys turned back the clock with some spirited performances on the mound, in the field and at the plate.”
“All had a great time, and will back for next year.”
“Ryan Thwaites and Andrew Buckley wanted to make special mention of the people who helped make the event another outstanding success. Umpires, sponsors, volunteers and over a hundred ball players got behind the game – both on and off-field.”
“Scott Carrington would have been proud of them all for the whole-hearted way they supported this cause.”
While the 100-innings game is done and dusted for another twelve months, the cause is certainly not. Contributions are invited until 31 July (just click on to the Swing 4 Scoot link below).
Any feedback can be provided at any time by visiting the Swing 4 Scoot website:
More information on Swing 4 Scoot is available here:
http://www.coueelife.com/project/swing-4-scoot-2015/
Visit Swing 4 Scoot on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/events/923227257735618/
Local media followed the event with great interest, including publication of the following story:
http://www.thewesterner.com.au/?p=2884
