MODERNERABASEBALL.COM: Father's Day Contest

ModernEraBaseball.com Announces Winners of 2009 Father’s Day Contest “10 years ago I lost my father to cancer. 10 years ago was the first Father’s Day without hearing my Father’s voice. He was my best friend. But 10 years later, his spirit lives on. He is still with me. And the special bond that existed with my Dad, largely as a result of baseball, will never die. Neither will that special bond that these winners shared for our contest this year about their Dad’s. Many brought me to tears – tears of joy, tears of love, tears of inspiration, tears’ of all that is right in our crazy world of ours. For all those who participated, you are all truly winners because there’s few givens in life, but here’s one of them: there’s no doubt your Dad has loved you and vice versa.” – Joe

FIRST PLACE: Erin Leigh’s tribute to her Dad, “Coach Don,” aka, ‘Mr. Baseball’

EXCERPT: “‘Mr. Baseball’ has always been what my family affectionately calls my Dad, Don…For a man with such a devout love and passion for the game, fathering a little boy who he could spend hours on the field playing catch and coaching Little League games was nothing short of a dream come true. Of course, life is not without a sense of humor, and a little girl was just what he got…I’d like to think…my Dad instinctually knew just the right way to raise a daughter – by treating her the same way he would treat a son and letting her know that no one could stand in the way of her dreams. Of course, if those dreams just happened to be scoring the final run during a championship game, the technique he taught me on sliding right leg tucked under left leg into home plate was a great way to do it.”

“I’m sure raising a daughter in the world of baseball was slightly trickier than with a son…There were also times he would patiently sit through in-depth teenage girl’s giggling discussions of who was the cutest Dodger. But overall, the things he taught me about the fundamentals of life through baseball – teamwork, facing obstacles, even coordinating my glove to match my uniform – have all stuck with me throughout my life and I could not be more thankful or love him any more for his unflinching willingness to introduce his daughter to his favorite sport in the world.”

“Coach Don is still the best coach any little girl – or boy – could ever dream of having…Beyond baseball techniques, he also taught us the valuable life lessons of dealing with adversity, communication, and becoming a gracious winner – or loser. To this day, my Dad still graces his presence to his own Little League team full of 13-year old boys who think he is God’s gift to baseball. To them, he is Babe Ruth, but to me, he is an even bigger gift – my Dad.

EXCERPT: “My parents got divorced when I was five…I’ve lived with my (loving) Mom (but)…baseball has been something that my Dad and I have bonded over…We have attended games at over 50 major and minor league parks and ever weekend we get, we try to catch a game somewhere. Last summer, however, was our biggest trip yet. In late July, my Dad and I worked together and mapped out an extensive tour in which we attended a game at 13 different ballparks in 10 days...What is important about last summer is the way we bonded. I was leaving for college a month later and my Dad and I both knew that we weren't going to see each other for a long time. We understood that we were going to have to make this our last hurrah for a while. Two moments in particular…stick out to me…When my Dad and I went to see the Winston-Salem Warthogs (now the Winston-Salem Dash)…during the game, my Dad and I were chosen to go onto the field to compete in a tricycle race. I crushed him in the race for no other reason than my youth, but when I looked back at my Dad as I crossed the finish line, while peddling away at his tricycle, he looked up at me with the biggest smile on his face that I've ever seen from him in my life. It was a really special moment…At another game in Kinston…my Dad caught a…(foul) ball off the net (behind home plate and tossed it) right to me…and gave me a big hug. I'll never forget that.”

EXCERPT: “My Dad, Robert...spent his hard earned money to facilitate others to play baseball. The neighborhood children loved to come to our farm to play…My Dad made a baseball field out of a portion of our acreage to accommodate neighborhood games. All were welcome to come to the weekly games, held on Sunday afternoon. My Dad would encourage young children to participate, including myself. Everyone was successful at playing baseball on my Dad's field…My Dad exemplified the spirit of good sportsmanship, kindness, enthusiasm, encouragement, and the love of playing baseball.”

2009 FATHER'S DAY CONTEST ENTRY INFORMATION

Modernerabaseball.com is pleased to announce details of its 9th annual contest. Fans of all ages can submit, via e-mail, their most memorable father-son or father-daughter baseball memory in writing to recognize their Dad and for a chance to win some great prizes (see listings below).

On April 23, 2001, Major League Baseball contributing writer Joe Connor debuted www.modernerabaseball.com in memory of his late father, Joe Sr., who was his guiding light to baseball (more at About The Dedication page). Every year since 2001, modernerabaseball.com has welcomed submissions from fans to celebrate how their own father-son or father-daughter relationship has positively impacted their life via the Father's Day Essay Contest, which awards prizes to the top submissions.

The entry deadline is Saturday, June 20, 2009 at 9 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (Midnight, Eastern Standard Time). Submissions should be sent to joe@modernerabaseball.com (copy/paste into the "To" box in your e-mail).

First, second and third place winners will be announced no later than 4 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time) on Father's Day, Sunday, June 21, 2009. Notice will be sent via e-mail to the winning entrants only. There is no cost to enter, however please take note of the following entry requirements below:

- Each submission must include at least one reference to the first name of the Dad being recognized, whether living or deceased (e.g., "my Dad, Tom, or my Step-Dad, Tom," etc);

- Each writer's submission must also include the following: the writer's first and last name; full mailing/street address (no P.O. Boxes), including city and state/province and zip code/postal code; and telephone number;

- Subject line of the e-mail submission should read "Father's Day Contest Entry;"

- All submissions must be in English and no submissions will be accepted via postal mail or fax;

- One submission per entrant (also, once an entry has been submitted, it cannot be changed such as "I forgot to mention this in the entry I submitted," etc.);

- Although perfect prose and spelling are not requirements, entrants should ensure their submission is clearly readable and understandable;

- No attachment or picture submissions will be accepted, opened, and therefore, considered. Instead, if you are working from a Microsoft Word document, for example, click "copy" and then "paste" the text into the body of the e-mail. It's that simple!

ALSO PLEASE READ THESE IMPORTANT NOTES:

> A frequent question is: "What/how should I write?" The answer is write from the heart - and spell check later. Pay tribute to your Dad by recounting a story, or a series of short stories, relating to baseball that had an unforgettable, memorable quality. Try and keep it simple, yet bring out the emotion of the bond - explain how and why your Dad is/was/remains so special;

> You don't have to have purchased one of Joe's guides to submit an entry; any person of any age may submit an entry, however a parent or guardian cannot write on behalf of a child (unless the child is physically and/or mentally incapable of doing so, which should be documented in the submission);

> You don't have to be solely a U.S. citizen to submit an entry; non-U.S. citizens are encouraged to submit entries, however the submission must be in English;

> Due to the high volume of entries received, we cannot acknowledge receipt of your submission. However, to ensure your e-mail is received, simply e-mail a copy of your submission to your own e-mail address (such as "CC" yourself, etc). If you receive it, we received it!

> Winners will receive their gifts within seven to 14 days of June 21, 2009 via regular postal mail (some prizes will be sent directly from third party donors).

2009 FATHER'S DAY ESSAY CONTEST PRIZES
(more prizes will be added as the date approaches)

First place winner
- Not one, not two, but three of Joe Connor's useful ballpark guides!
- "A Fan's Guide To The Ultimate Ballpark Tour: Fully Loaded," an easy-to-use electronic guide updated annually since 2001, is a great planner that helps fathers and sons, and fathers and daughters, realize their ballpark dreams together by helping fans plan a ballpark trip to any Major League, Minor League or Independent League ballpark, providing helpful information as easy as the fingertips, including Web site links to schedules, seating maps and parking, as well as travel information such as maps, airlines, rental cars, hotels, attractions and more;
- "A Fan's Guide To The Ultimate Spring Training Experience" for 2010, another easy-to-use electronic guide;
- "A Fan's Guide To The Ultimate College Summer League Ballpark Experience," an easy-to-use electronic guide to plan a trip to any college summer league ballpark

- "Baseball Songs, Sports Heroes 2," from King of the Road Music. The CD is part of The National Baseball Hall of Fame Sound Collection! Visit http://www.kingoftheroadmusic.com/

- There's no stopping you now from your ballpark journey! A stop-watch to keep you from missing the first-pitch!

- Not one, but two of Joe Connor's useful ballpark guides!
- "A Fan's Guide To The Ultimate Ballpark Tour: Fully Loaded," an easy-to-use electronic guide updated annually since 2001, is a great planner that helps fathers and sons, and fathers and daughters, realize their ballpark dreams together by helping fans plan a ballpark trip to any Major League, Minor League or Independent League ballpark, providing helpful information as easy as the fingertips, including Web site links to schedules, seating maps and parking, as well as travel information such as maps, airlines, rental cars, hotels, attractions and more;
- "A Fan's Guide To The Ultimate College Summer League Ballpark Experience," an easy-to-use electronic guide to plan a trip to any college summer league ballpark

- Book it: A pair of great ballpark traveling reads, both books, one on visiting the City of Angels and the other on baseball in a Minor League town!

- Mix of talent: a potpourri of sorts - baseball and historic postcards, scorecards, and media guides, plus baseball cards, stickers and key chains to be enjoyed,

- "A Fan's Guide To The Ultimate Spring Training Experience" for 2010, an easy-to-use electronic guide.

- "Baseball Songs, Sports Heroes," from King of the Road Music. The CD is part of The National Baseball Hall of Fame Sound Collection! Visit http://www.kingoftheroadmusic.com/

- A single logo keychain made from the seams of a real baseball, both fitting and useful, of the team of your choice, courtesy of BaseballPilgrimages.com: http://www.baseballpilgrimages.com/keychains.html

- Even groovier: A Tye-Dyed colored baseball (Jerry Garcia would have loved it!)