2003 Ohio Charity Classic Softball Tournament Will Be Held Oct. 4-5 – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/24/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Sept. 24, 2003
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The 2003 Ohio Collegiate Charity Classic will take place Oct. 4-5 at Fred Beekman Park at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Ten of the 11 Division I softball teams in the state of Ohio – Akron, Bowling Green, Cleveland State, Dayton, Kent State, Ohio University, Ohio State, Toledo, Wright State and Youngstown State – will compete in the third annual tournament benefiting the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research at the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.
Fred Beekman Park is a four-field complex located west of State Route 315 at Lane Avenue. Concessions will be available and bleacher seating is limited. Admission to the event will be a $5 donation and all proceeds go directly to the charity. Notably, all of the umpires for this event are donating their time.
“We are very excited to be hosting the 2003 Charity Classic again with the help of the other nine schools,” Linda Kalafatis, OSU head softball coach, said. “It was a great success last year when we donated over $8,000 to the Stefanie Spielman fund. It’s such a great opportunity for our athletes to be involved by doing something for such a great cause, while also competing in the sport that they love. The contribution we also get from the umpires, volunteers and fans make the Ohio Collegiate Charity Classic a winning event. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and I hope in some small way, that this tournament helps contribute to that awareness. We’re hoping we get good weather and that softball fans across Ohio and beyond will come and again make the Charity Classic a success for breast cancer research.”
Stefanie Spielman and her husband, former All-Pro NFL linebacker and OSU standout, Chris Spielman, established the Stefanie Spielman Fund. The couple pledged to raise $1 million for breast cancer research at the Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute at The Ohio State University. The goal has been surpassed, but the Spielman’s continue the fight against breast cancer. For information, please log on to the Stephanie Spielman Fund website www.jamesline.com/output/spielmanfm.htm.
For directions, a schedule of events and additional information about the Ohio Charity Classic, please go to http://ohiostatebuckeyes.ocsn.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/2003-ohio-classic.html.
Last fall, the event raised $8,841 and during the first year, the tournament was held in Akron and $5,500 was donated to breast cancer research.
