By Drew Sellers
BYU”s head baseball coach attended the 19th annual “Going to Bat for B.A.T. Fundraising Dinner” in New York City this week.
This year”s dinner honored two great historical baseball teams, the St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers of 1968. Both teams appeared in the 1968 World Series.
More than 125 current and former players attended the Tuesday evening event. BYU coach Vance Law, who played in the MLB for 14 seasons, was one the 125 distinguished guests.
“I”m back here to maintain relationships with Major League Baseball and support this organization that helped my brother while he went through leukemia,” Law said.
The Baseball Assistance Team (B.A.T.) was formed in 1986 by a group of former Major League Baseball players. The group is dedicated to helping members of the baseball “family” who have fallen on hard times and are in need of assistance.
The B.A.T. provides help in the form of health care, financial grants, and rehabilitative counseling. This is done for former players by their peers to help them maintain, or restore, comfort long after they have taken their final swing.
Several years ago Law”s brother Varlin was diagnosed with Leukemia and attended the dinner with Law. B.A.T. was able to offer assistance to the Law family in their time of need.
Others who attended the fundraiser included Hall of Famers Orlando Cepeda, Bob Gibson, Joe Morgan, Luis Aparicio, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Robin Roberts and Billy Williams. All proceeds from the dinner will go to the B.A.T. program to help members of the “baseball family.”
