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Battle of the Badges is fundraiser for MDA, Special Olympics
BOARDMAN
The date of the police and fire departments’ Battle of the Badges softball game Monday, Sept. 11, was no coincidence.
The game honored the dozens of police officers and hundreds of firefighters and paramedics who were killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
“It’s not overstated, the significance of 9/11 and what 9/11 means to the fire service and law enforcement,” said township fire Chief Mark Pitzer, addressing the crowd at Field of Dreams baseball complex on McClurg Road before the start of the game.
Pitzer also talked about the need to bring the country together, and about the police officers and firefighters who have responded to devastating hurricanes in Texas and Florida within the last few weeks.
“We think about those folks who are out there working today, helping,” said Pitzer.
The game also had another purpose.
Four years ago, an event that started out as a fun competition between the police and fire departments became an organized effort to raise money for charity. This year, the fire department collected donations for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and the police team raised money for the Special Olympics.
The game kicked off with state Sen. Joe Schiavoni of Boardman, D-33rd, throwing out the first pitch.
“Thank you guys for your service. I appreciate it,” Schiavoni said from the pitcher’s mound. He is running for governor next year.
The game started off strong for the fire department, but ended up being a closer game than in previous years.
In the top of the third inning, the police team was winning 3-2. The fire department team reclaimed the lead in the fifth inning, but the opposing team quickly tied the score at 9.
Heading into the sixth and seventh innings, the police department led 12-9. Although the fire department managed to tie it up at 12 in the seventh inning, a walk-off hit in the bottom of the seventh gave the police team a 13-12 win. The police team and its supporters, sitting together on one side of the field, erupted into jubilant cheers.
The win marked a comeback for the police team in the charity game’s four-year history. The fire department team won each of the last three games.
“You have no idea” how exciting it was to win, said police officer John Gocala, a BPD detective.
Gocala coached the police team with Sgt. Chuck Hillman.
Players and coaches on both teams said the competition between the two departments is a friendly one.
“There’s always an unwritten rivalry,” Gocala said. “But the cool thing with these guys [the fire department] is we’re cool with them, too.”
Bobby Patrick, who served as third-base coach for the fire department team, said the game was all about, “the camaraderie, and remembering all those who gave everything.”
“It’s a great way for the firemen, not only to get to know the cops a little better, but for the community on 9/11 to know it’s still important to us,” said Rob Ariza, who was first-base coach for the fire department team. “It’s never forgotten. And this is our little way of showing that.”