HEROES OF THE DIAMOND "RED, WHITE AND BLUE TOUR"

HOW IT BEGAN: During a visit to the Naval Aviation Museum, President H.W. Bush discussed the positive impact baseball had on morale during WWII. His comments initiated the development of military baseball in the modern era. Over two decades later, we are the only program in history to wear camouflage uniforms with historical references to represent all branches of the military and first responders on one team.

WHO WE ARE: Since 1990, more than 25,000 armed forces personnel have represented their service while paying our own expenses with a philosophy of HUSTLE, THINK, WIN! We are the "Globetrotters" of baseball. As the largest, fastest growing and most successful barnstorming team ever created, delivering competitive, exciting "must see" patriotic entertainment enjoyed by millions. We have visited 45 states and 12 countries while providing entertainment for some of the finest organizations in the world.

WHAT WE DO: The historic “Red, White and Blue Tour" delivers unique patriotic events designed to entertain your fans and honor America. We conduct a choreographed pre-game that includes "Passing the Flag" - "Walk of Honor" - and other ceremonies. Our UNIQUE events deliver positive media and community goodwill. Dates are Limited!

WHY WE DO IT: MISSION: “To Promote the Awareness of all Americans in Support of the Honorable Sacrifices our Armed Forces make at the Tip of the Spear” is based on the prominent yellow ribbon in the shape of an “S” located "front and center" in our distinctive “USA” logo symbolizes "Support" for our Troops and Veterans.

VIDEOS: http://www.heroesofthediamond.com/

MILITARY TIMES ARTICLE: http://www.armytimes.com/offduty/sports/lifelines_military_baseball_033009w/

BASEBALL AMERICA ARTICLE: http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/minors/business-beat/2009/267500.html

FORMER AMERICAN LEAGUE PITCHER & 1952 A.L. MVP BOBBY SHANTZ TOSSES OUT FIRST PITCH

The Mission:

For the past twenty years, the members of the Military All-Stars have had just one purpose: To promote awareness and support for our armed forces and first responders. Their method has been to barnstorm the United States and foreign countries by making community visits and playing baseball against local teams at all levels.

In July 2010, their travels brought them back to Delaware County at the invitation of the Delaware County Athletes Hall of Fame and the Mickey Vernon Sports History Museum in the midst of visiting 45 states and six countries during an eight-month tour. It was their third visit to Delaware County, and this time they got here in a recently-acquired bus with a number of mechanical an electrical problems including no air conditioning--for most, it reminded them all of duty and tough conditions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Problem:

The Military All-Stars pay all travel and transportation expenses out of their own pockets. They worked hard to finally move up over the years from cars, to vans, to and RV and now a 1988 Eagle Tour bus with beds for the legs that can sometime be 20 hours or more. They were proud to take their program to the next level and ensure the safest mode of transportation for these heroes and wounded warriors who have already survived war. Shortly after picking it up in Kansas City after their trip to Alaska, they soon realized their own hard-earned cash given to Easter's Bus Sales in Virginia might not have been such a good idea after all. The bus wouldn't start, and once it did temperatures in the bus were reaching in excess of 105 degrees, so arrangements had been made for Easter's to meet the bus along their tour route. Delco on the sixth of July turned out to be the place to transfer the bus back to Easter's. The bus was parked on Evergreen Drive, just off Route 1, in clear view of the lobby at the recently opened Staybridge Suites. Unfortunately, Easter's representatives didn't show up until the fifteenth. After nine days of sitting it proved to good a target and the driver found the bus ransacked, and heavily vandalized. According to the Pennsylvania State Police, it had happened sometime between July 13 and 14. The bus is now at Easter's Bus Sales along with the $45,000 the Military All-Stars paid for it. Unfortunately, it's now a legal battle to determine responsibility for the situation. These cases take years to resolve. Time and money are two things the team is short on as the remaining 12 players arrived in private cars today (1 August) at the NBC World Series in Wichita, Kansas this week to compete for a Championship.

The Challenges:

Military All-Stars founder and General Manager, Lieutenant Commander Terry "Crash" Allvord, USN--a former Chester resident--said, "It's heartbreaking Jim, nothing like this has ever happened to us in the twenty years we have been barnstorming, it's sad. Especially happening in my hometown. We had the bus less than three weeks and now we're back to where we started — paying for rental vans." The unexpected expenses have forced them to cut back from the 30 players typically on the road to just 16. They all share just three hotel rooms each night to minimize our expenses. “I feel terrible for the players that had to go home. Fighting wars on two fronts have forced some to wait years for a chance to participate in the tour." (It's important to note that the team accepts absolutely no funding from the federal government - they want all resources to support our troops on the front lines.)

How you Can Help!

Delaware County has always been known to support missions such as this. Now it's time for Delco residents to step up to the plate to help these honorable men. The Mickey Vernon Sports History Museum, the organization that was responsible for bringing the all stars to Delco in the first place and the Media Area Sports Hall of Fame has initiated an unique fund-raiser to come up with the twenty-five thousand dollars in added transportation and legal costs that the All Stars have incurred as a result of the extensive damage to their team bus.

Here is how you can help: In partnership with a national auction house that has yet to be named, the Mickey Vernon Museum and The Media Area Sports Hall of Fame plan to launch an auction to reimburse the military team for their added expenses. We are asking anyone with a personal collection of sports memorabilia to donate a piece or pieces from your collection to the auction, with the proceeds going to the Military All Stars Transportation/Legal Fund. This benefit auction is planned for February 2011. It is important to note that 100 percent of the income realized from any items that you contribute will be a tax-deductible donation. You can be the conignor of one item or more that one items to the Military All Stars Fund.

Please submit a digital photo and description of your items to:

Jim Vankoski, Curator
Mickey Vernon Sports History Museum
bvankoski@hotmail.com

For more information, contact Phil Damiani, President of the Media Hall of Fame 610-565-0476
Call the museum at: (610) 909-4919 to discuss your participation.

Very Respectfully,

LCDR Terry "Crash" Allvord, USN (Ret.)
HUSTLE, THINK, WIN!
www.heroesofthediamond.com