[ Contact Info ] • Web Site: www.greatLVsoccer.com • Telephone #: 607-432-4365 • Fax #: 607-432-4430 • E-mail: greatLVsoccer@colassoc.com • E-mail: tournaments@colassoc.com • Mail: Great Lehigh Valley Soccer Festival % Lehigh Valley Sports Commission PO Box 20785, Lehigh Valley, PA 18002-0785		[ Press Releases ] November 4, 2004 Contact: Gene Nichols, (610) 882-9200 Lehigh Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau gnichols@lehighvalleypa.org Chuck Frantz, (610) 262-0785 Lehigh Valley Yankee Fan Club trophies@enter.net BASEBALLFEST 2004 MAKES ITS PITCH TO THE LEHIGH VALLEY Second Annual Charity Event Brings Current, Former Baseball Stars to Northampton (Lehigh Valley, Pa) – The Lehigh Valley Yankee Fan Club (LVYF), with the help of the Lehigh Valley Sports Commission, will be hosting BASEBALLFEST 2004 on Thanksgiving Weekend: Event: BASEBALLFEST 2004 Date: Sunday, November 28, 2004 Location: Northampton Community Center 16th & Laubach Ave., Northampton Time: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Cost: $3 for adults (13+); $1 for youth (5-12); Free for children under 5. A $1 discount will be given to those visitors that bring a canned good for 2nd Harvest Food Bank or Turning Point of the Lehigh Valley The event will feature current and former Major League Baseball (MLB) stars, local celebrities, a sports memorabilia show, sports mascots, a silent auction and much more! Proceeds from the event will be used to support the Special Olympics of the Lehigh Valley and Bethlehem City, Turning Point of the Lehigh Valley and Big Brothers & Big Sisters of the Lehigh Valley. Highlights of BASEBALLFEST 2004 include: Appearances by current and former MLB stars and local celebrities: Brian Schneider – Starting catcher for the Montreal Expos, former resident of the Lehigh Valley and possible 2004 Gold Glove Award winner Tommy John – Former MLB pitcher who has 288 victories and a groundbreaking elbow surgery named after him. Carl “Stump” Merrill – Former manager of the New York Yankees (1990-1991) Daryl Dawkins – Former NBA star and current head coach of the Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs Freddy “Sez” – Yankee Stadium icon and #1 Yankee fan Appearances by famous sports mascots: The Phillie Phanatic (11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) Reading Phillies mascot Boomer – the Trenton Thunder’s mascot A large baseball card and sports memorabilia show, including vendors from New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia. A live auction with over 60 authentic signature items, donated from MLB stars and other sports icons. Photos, baseballs, bats and other items suitable for autographs will be available. Autograph sessions with Ty Stofflet, world famous fast pitch softball pitcher, and Evan Burian, author of Thanksgiving Day Rivalries Golf professionals Jim Muschlitz and Jim Booros will be giving free golf demonstrations throughout the day. A Chinese auction will be taking place from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Door prizes every hour A bake sale sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Yankee Fan Club will be held, and food and beverage will be available. Professional Athletes from the Lehigh Valley! A number of famous Lehigh Valley athletes will be on hand to greet visitors and discuss their careers. BASEBALLFEST 2004 is a must for all Lehigh Valley sports fans! The perfect way to cap off a Thanksgiving Sports Weekend, BASEBALLFEST allows visitors to revel in their sports fandom while helping worthwhile local charities. “The Lehigh Valley Yankee Fan Club is proud to sponsor this event,” said LVYF President Chuck Frantz. “This is our biggest fundraiser of the year and our best opportunity to support those important charities with which we are affiliated. It is definitely a family event; there is something for everyone and a lot of fun to be had by all!”