This story was reported and written by Sarah Studley, and posted by Ashley Tarr.
A seed of idea has gained a significant amount of momentum throughout Putnam and Westchester over just two baseball seasons.
“I thought we could do something interesting, something worthwhile,” said Joseph Racioppo, a nine-year member of the Westchester County Baseball Umpires Association.
Racioppo, who by day teaches physical education at Southern Westchester BOCES, got the approval of the association’s board last year and was surprised when many of the other approximately 150 members enthusiastically stepped up to purchase pink shirts for cancer awareness.
"The guys would come up to me and share stories of people they knew who were affected [by cancer], who they lost,” he revealed. “Some of the umpires had even undergone chemotherapy themselves.”
The group again, for the past two weeks this year, repeated their efforts throughout the area, and this year, brought on board umpires from Rockland and Dutchess counties.
The pink shirts worn underneath the umpires’ usual blue uniform tops also drew attention at high school games.
“It gets noticed right away,” said Racioppo.
Spectators, players and coaches alike asked how they could help raise funds and awareness for cancer research, he said.
Umpires wore conspicuous shirts again at softball and baseball games over the past two weeks because, “It really does hit home all around us,” Racioppo pointed out.
While last year’s awareness campaign didn’t involve soliciting any type of donations, “High schools took it upon themselves...to collect money,” he said.
They also dressed in pink at special games throughout the season.
In Pleasantville, he said, “The coach there went crazy with his kids dressing in pink. People really got hold of it.”
Today at Briarcliff High School, the varsity and junior varsity softball teams are hosting special “Striking Out Breast Cancer” games at 3:45 and 5:30 p.m., respectively. Both teams will be wearing pink shoelaces and wristbands. Funds raised at this game through bake sales, lanyard sales and other activities will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
Donations raised through high schools’ special games last year raised more $4,400, which the umpire association donated to the American Cancer Society because “it covers all the cancers,” Racioppo explained.
“We as the umpires created about $500 worth of donations,” he added. “It was a good feeling.”
The umpires also culminated the end of the seasons by hosting a coaches vs. umpires softball game, which helped raise more funds and involved coaches from schools including Pleasantville, Brewster, Pelham, Rye Neck, Byram Hills, North Salem and Irvington.
The tradition will continue this year on June 7 when the friendly game will again be held at Pleasantville High School.
“I want to thank the guys for really putting this on the front burner,” said Racioppo. “We are really proud of what we are doing.”
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