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2008 All-Star Game

California Lumberkings, Niagara Snappers, GHFL All-Stars with Melissa Brideau. Photo by Melissa Paylove
Click photo to see a high-resolution version. See additional photos on www.niagarasnappers.com.

Coming soon - MP3 files of each game available for download.

Game 1
Niagara Snappers 3 California Lumberkings 0
WP: Jamie Simpson 3 IP, Tom Berube 2IP, Byron Demoe 1IP, Mike Bateman 1IP
LP: Dave Drotzmann 5IP, Jeff Kawaguchi 1IP
Kevin Newhouse had a single and double and was the Game MVP.

Game 2
Lumberkings 4 GHFL All-Stars 2
WP: Jeff Kawaguchi 3IP in relief of Mike Egerdeen 4IP
LP: Dan Duemo 2IP, in relief of Scott Wagar 3IP and Jeff Wilson 2IP
Lumberkings HRs by Brian Teeters (solo) and Gerry Kennedy (3-run shot in T7 to break a 1-1 tie, Kennedy named Game MVP)
GHFL RBIs to Scott Wagar and Rob Greatrix.

Thanks to Dan Bernard, Jay Paylove, Dave Weldin, Brian Teeters, Will Lake, Herb Beckman, Kyle Smith, Jim Flanagan, Storm’s Deli, the Niagara Falls umpires, and the Snappers, Lumberkings and GHFL players who made the night so successful. (And thanks to everyone who tuned in on Ballpark Radio and sent us emails.)

We raised a significant amount of money for Melissa and Tommy to continue her treatments in Venezuela and put on two highly entertaining fastball games for about 300 people.

Dan Bernard, who did so much to make this event the absolute success that it was, has provided a terrific synopsis of the night.

A quick recap of the Melissa Brideau Fastball Fundraiser at Lancaster park last night in St. Catharines. With over 300 people on hand, the Niagara Snappers beat the California Lumberkings 3-0 in game #1 with the Lumberkings storming back to take game #2 against the GHFL All Stars 4-2.

MVP for game #1 was Kevin Newhouse of the Niagara Snappers, with Gerry Kennedy of the California Lumberkings taking MVP of game #2.

What a great night of ball, the rains held off, a huge crowd on hand to watch, Storm’s Deli was serving up some great food, a lot of money raised for a great cause and we managed to get both games on Ball Park Radio with Kyle Smith coming down to lend a hand.

A really special thanks to the California Lumberkings who went above and beyond what was expected of them. To say this team is a class act is an understatement. Very, very solid individuals that really made a difference last night.

The games are part of a fundraising effort for Melissa Brideau, the long-time partner of Niagara Falls Fury player Tommy Watkinson who has played ball in the Niagara Falls Men's League for the past 15 years. Melissa is stricken with a very aggressive from of Multiple Sclerosis. Melissa is 35 years old and has reached a point in her illness where a wheelchair or scooter have become her source of mobility. Melissa is having no luck with North American treatment and is traveling to Venezuela to seek treatment from world renowned specialist Dr. Yepetz utilizing rainforest natural therapy.

As one can imagine this is a very costly endeavor but one that needs to be explored now. Dr. Yepetz has successfully reversed the effects of MS in many patients and Melissa feels this type of treatment is one of the few remaining options available for her. If treatments go well, Melissa will in all probability be revisiting Venezuela multiple times.