On Memorial Day, you cannot help but think of the soldiers who have fought and given their lives for this country. And mixing baseball with Memorial Day, I can't help but think of Barry Zito and the incredible work he's done with his Strikeouts For Troops program. It's already been chronicled here at FanHouse how generous Zito is, but no specific mention has been made about the details of his self-created charity. Here's a little information on the program:Founded by Barry Zito in April 2005, the Strikeouts For Troops roster is home to some of the biggest names in baseball – the names that adorn the sports pages of the cities they represent on a daily basis. These players have pledged that with every strikeout they throw, homerun they smash or RBI and hit collected respectively, they will donate a portion of their salary to Strikeouts For Troops and the effort to help our American Soldier.According to the website, Zito's program has raised nearly $500,000 since its launch. That figure doesn't include all the money that was raised on Thursday night at Zito's fundraiser in San Francisco, to which Barry Bonds made an unexpected appearance. In all, 12 batters and 22 pitchers participate in the program, including some players you might never expect. I think it's a fantastic program put together by Barry Zito, and well-worth your recognition, especially on Memorial Day. And as far as I'm concerned, Zito doesn't ever have to get another big league hitter out to prove his worth to me as a person. He's already done so.The 2007 season will be the third for Strikeouts For Troops and one that will build on the success of previous years. Strikeouts for Troops is a national non profit organization dedicated to raising money for our war wounded veterans that are being treated at military hospitals across the country like Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Bethesda Naval, Brooke Army, among many others.
Previously at FanHouse:
Steak Dinner's on Barry Zito
ADVERTISEMENT
_thumbnail.jpg "NASCAR Cowboy Hats")
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. Zito is a class act and recognizes all this country has to offer.
Posted at 9:00AM on May 28th 2007 by bob slater
2. www.BlackoutBonds.com some may like him as a human being, some may want to show their opinion of the specualtion filled home run streak....
Posted at 2:18PM on May 28th 2007 by Fred Marks