Pine Hill Little League playing ball and raising money to fight against cancer
LYNN, Mass. — The Pine Hill Little League in Lynn was one of many teams across the state to participate in the Jimmy Fund Little League Series this summer, raising money for the fight against cancer as they run the bases. But as his players hit the field, league president John Cronin couldn’t help but smile at how much his brother Michael would have loved the sight. Michael fought leukemia from age three through countless treatments at the hospital and Jimmy Fund clinics. “But on the field, he could escape and feel a sense of normalcy,” Cronin said. Michael passed away in high school. “The advancements are such that there are treatments today that very well could have saved Michael’s life,” Cronin tells us, a bit of sadness in his voice. “The research has come a long way, partially due to the support of what the kids are doing today in this Series.”
Beyond the fundraising, the series is all about the baseball. “Many of these kids have to hang up their cleats at the end of the school year,” Cronin explains. Even if they play on an all star team, a double elimination tournament in July take many players off the field early in the summer just as the weather is getting great. But the Jimmy Fund Series gives these players three more weeks of playing to develop their ball skills. And that, Cronin says, is what baseball is all about. “Wherever we are sacrificing long term development for winning the game or the season, we’re not doing our job. While competition is great, what we want to do is give these kids as much playing time as possible so we can develop their long game.”
Every team participating in the Series gets a dedicated website and every player then gets a link to their own fundraising page. Last year two Jimmy Fund Series teams that included Pine Hill Little League players raised a total of $8200. “That’s just two teams from two leagues in one small corner of the state. Imagine the impact across the state.” As further incentive, the Jimmy Fund encourages the playoffs of the Series to include the two teams that earned the most funds, not runs. “Outside of our kids having developed the skills of baseball, nothing makes you more proud than watching these kids make a positive impact in their community. You are building stronger players and better humans,” Cronin beams. “So we’ll continue to play our part.”
To find out more about Little League in Lynn, head to www.madistrict16.com
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