The Association of Minor League Umpires (AMLU) and its parent organization, Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), have partnered with "Ed Randall's Bat for the Cure – Strike Out Prostate Cancer" (www.amlu.org) to raise funds for the fight against prostate cancer. This Father's Day weekend, June 19-20, the minor league umpires open their personal checkbooks and donate 1 cent for every pitch thrown in their Minor League Baseball games. Additionally, OPEIU has pledged to match the umpires' donations.
The AMLU represents the more than 200 minor league umpires working in the 16 domestic professional minor leagues. For a three umpire crew in double A or Triple A levels, the donation will mean a combined 3 cents per pitch. Combining all umpires in all games throughout the Minor League system – and considering an average game has an estimated 300-400 pitches thrown – AMLU members will raise a considerable amount for prostate cancer research.
"This is the easiest call my umpires will make all year," AMLU/OPEIU Guild 322 President Shaun Francis, himself a Triple A umpire in the Pacific Coast League. "Ed Randall is a great advocate for prostate cancer awareness, and a long-time friend of umpires. We were eager to do our small part. We hope that this connection between our Union and Ed is the start of a long lasting relationship."
While umpiring this weekend, AMLU members will also wear blue wristbands in honor of Prostate Cancer Awareness Day, provided by the Ed Randall Bat for the Cure Foundation.
"We are very proud to support this cause so important to our AMLU members," said OPEIU President Michael Goodwin, "and to do our part to help strike out prostate cancer."
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