Just in! Two new additions to the Writers team at this year’s Artists & Writers Softball Game will be the multi-talented (acting, writing, directing, producing) Burns Brothers, as in Edward and Brian. Native Long Islanders, the lads probably played on a few Irish pub softball teams in their home town of Valley Stream over the years.
Also on board this week is NYC Police Commissioner Ray Kelly who will be one of the umpires at this year’s 65th addition of the seminal Hamptons charity softball game that dates back to 1948. (Saints preserve us, it’s an Irish invasion!) Usually, there is no stealing bases in softball and what are the chances of stealing home this year with Gotham’s top cop behind the plate?
Rounding out the rest of the Writers team are co-captains Ken Auletta & Mike Lupica, Carl Bernstein, Mort Zuckerman, Jim Leyritz, Chef Tom Colicchio, Rod Gilbert, Lawrence O’Donnell, Mark Green and Richard Wiese. So far stepping up to the plate for the Artists this year will be Leif Hope, Eric Ernst, Ed Hollander, Christie Brinkley, Anthony Wehm, Josh Charles, Walter Bernard, Joel Perlman, Gregg Bello, Randall Rosenthal, Nathan Sawaya and Lori Singer.
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Josh Charles of the Artists team was the 2010 MVP at the 63rd Artists & Writers Softball Game. (Photo: Christopher Beninati) |
Also umpiring the game with Kelly will be Dan Rattiner and Matt Lauer. Juliet Papa, Bob Balaban, James Lipton and Fred Graver will be in the broadcast booth announcing the play-by-play and color of the game. The banter between Balaban and Lipton should be unforgettable!
The game itself will take place on August 17th at 2:00 p.m. at Herrick Park in East Hampton Village, but there are other A&W related events happening as well. Guild Hall in East Hampton has chronicled the 65 year history of the game with an exhibition called “Artists & Writers: They Played in the Game,” running until July 28th. Guild Hall will also host the “Artists & Writers Panel Discussion” will take place on July 21st featuring Mort Zuckerman, Carl Bernstein, Juliet Papa, Mike Lupica, Lori Singer, Leif Hope, Ed Hollander, Eric Ernst and Walter Bernard.
The big soiree will be the “First Pitch Pre-Game Party” auction and benefit at LTV Studio in Wainscott on August 16th between 6-8:30. It will include food from local restaurants Zok-Kon, Rumba, Cowfish, Brooklyn Beer, wine bars and a performance by hip hop violinist SVET from America’s Got Talent. The high end auction items include a one-of-a-kind quilt made from vintage A&W t-shirts, Field of Dreams Packages that include a place in the broadcast booth, team shirt, hat and a turn at batting practice, 1010 WINS news tour, a round of golf for 4 at The Bridge G.C., HIFF Founders Passes, 4 VIP passes to the Hamptons Classic and Bay St Theater Mainstage passes for 2014. Tickets are $40 in advance at http://www.ltveh.org or $50 at the door.
Hamptons.com is a proud Media Sponsor of the Artists & Writers Softball Game and we encourage all East Enders to support this historic and iconically Hamptons event. Ticket donations are only $10 at the game and the proceeds from the game and ancillary events go to support human need related charities including East Hampton Day Care Learning Center, Phoenix House Adolescent Center in Wainscott, East End Hospice and The Retreat.
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The Artists team at the 60th Anniversary Artists & Writers Softball Game. (Photo: Aaron Boyd) |
