Pelham Tournament Raises Thousands for Cystic Fibrosis Research

Hundreds of people gathered at Pelham Memorial High School Saturday for the second annual Strike Out Cystic Fibrosis Big Bat Bopper Baseball Tournament.

The tournament is held in memory Aaron Samuel Rossman a member of the high school’s class of 2006 who lost his life to cystic fibrosis in November of 2010. Proceeds from the event will be used to fund research for cystic fibrosis,  a chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. The disease can lead to life-threatening lung infections and impede the body’s ability to break down food.

About 1,000 new cases of cystic fibrosis are diagnosed each year and the predicted median age of survival for a person with the disease  is the late 30s, according to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Big Bat Bopper Baseball is a game that combines kickball, cricket and baseball, is believed to have been invented by PMHS physical education teachers back in 2004. It was one of  Rossman’s favorite games.

Michael Recca, one of the tournament’s organizers, said 18 teams participated and the events raised $45,000 on Saturday. Recca donations are still being collected through the weekend and that the tournament to raise about $52,000 once all the money is collected.

As for tournament results, Master of Batters won the loser's bracket to take on the Air Men, who won the winners bracket. Master of Batters won the final game and both teams finished with the same record.