This coming weekend is the 20th annual Arizona Baseball Charities "Celebrity Sports Weekend." The events start tomorrow night, Friday January 27th, with a celebrity dinner and auction of sports memorabilia. On Saturday, there will be a golf tournament, with each foursome having a former major league baseball player as the team captain. Sunday afternoon, the events conclude with a major league alumni baseball game at Scottsdale Stadium. The gates open at the stadium at 11:00 am on Sunday, and the first pitch is at 1:00 pm. Several of the groups which Arizona Baseball Charities benefits will be invited onto the field between innings to receive their checks. The game is open to the general public, and the cost to attend is $10; however, all kids under 18 get in free.

This is one of several major events that Arizona Baseball Charities puts on throughout the year, to raise money to transform the lives of Arizona children and youth through involvement in sports. Led by its Executive Director, former major league pitcher Buddy Schultz (relief pitcher for the Cardinals and Cubs in the mid-1970's), Arizona Baseball Charities has distributed several million dollars over its 20-year existence, and it has given away even more in equipment and direct services to kids. Many well-known sports stars contribute their time to this charity, including Hall of Famers from baseball, football and basketball. The organization is driven by the involvement of former players who owe their success in life to their involvement with organized sports. They want to give back to the community, so that other kids can have the same opportunity they had to overcome obstacles, and to learn skills through sports that will enable them to succeed in life.

The baseball game on Sunday is open to the public and tickets are available. For more information about the charity, or to attend any of the other events, contact Buddy Schultz at (602) 404-3132.