'Legends of Baseball' give kids clinic at Bower Field

A little piece of local baseball-mania trickled down to Penn Monday when Bower Field, home of the Quakers baseball team, played host to the US Healthcare "Celebration of Baseball" Health Fair. About 70 local children came out for a free one-hour baseball clinic featuring four ex-stars of the major leagues. Ex-pitchers Sparky Lyle and Rick Wise were in charge of the pitching station, former shortstop Bert Campaneris led the defense station, and retired outfielder Cesar Cedeno instructed the hitters. "We had some kids doing good today," Campaneris said. "I was showing them how to field the ball, how to get your body behind it and throw to first base -- fundamentals." But instruction was only part of the four-hour event. Later in the day, Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell made an appearance. He had earlier been at Children's Hospital, so he put in an appearance and said a few words. Along with Rendell came ex-Phillie reliever Tug McGraw, the fifth ex-star to be involved in the program. He joined Campaneris, Lyle, Cedeno, and Wise in a free autograph session for the kids. The afternoon then culminated in a softball game billed as "Legends vs. Community VIPs". Those whose appetite for baseball waned had other options. Also present at the fair were several carnival-style games, such as a radar gun booth which shows how fast the participant can throw the ball. Oldies music blared constantly, courtesy of local radio station WOGL. As might be expected at an event paid for by the one of the country's largest mangaed care organziations, health was a central theme of the event. Tables displaying information about cholesterol levels and organ donation sat a few feet away from the free hot dog stand. A registered nurse was on hand and she was available for health screenings free of charge. There was also a delegation from St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, located in Northeast Philadelphia. "We're trying to make people aware of St. Christopher's," hospital representative Nancy Sternberg said. "We service the pediatric population [and] we are getting the kids some give-aways and hope they have fun at the baseball game." Monday's event was one of four "Celebrations of Baseball" planned for the week. The other events, all done in conjunction with the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association and tied around Philadelphia's hosting of the 1996 All-Star Game, were held in Harrisburg, Norristown, and Trenton. Each involved a local hospital. The Alumni Association is an organization that "does a lot of promotions, usually within the community. But most of all, it's just to re-involve the past heroes of baseball back in the community," according to MLBPAA representative David Yoo. A number of area kids certainly appreciated that last Monday.