Letter: Don't be Fooled by Phone Calls

The Paul N. Johnson Baseball League of Worcester recently announced
that they will host the Senior Babe Ruth New England Regional Tournament at
Tivnan Field on Lake Avenue in Worcester in July 2012.  

All six New England states will be represented in this tournament, with the winner going on to compete in the Senior Babe Ruth World Series in Weimar, Texas.    

The Grafton Lake Sox participated in the PNJ league for 15 years. While the Lake Sox folded after the 2011 season, a new Grafton Senior Babe Ruth team is being formed and will participate in the PNJ league this year. Hopefully, some Grafton Sr. Ruth players will be elected to play on one of the two PNJ all-star teams in this tournament.

Solicitors will be making phone calls to Grafton residents in the near future, seeking monetary donations to the PNJ league. Solicitors are not always clear as to who is collecting the money, and where the money will go.

Donations will not be going to underprivileged kids in Worcester, Grafton baseball fields and facilities, Grafton youth leagues or Grafton teams. All money raised will defray the $11,000 in expenses incurred by the PNJ league for this tournament for boys ages 17 to 19 years old from the city of Worcester and surrounding towns, with the possibility of some Grafton players on the team. All checks must be made out to Paul N Johnson Senior Ruth or PNJ.    

If there are any questions or concerns as to who is calling your home, asking for money, and soliciting donations, please contact Ray Baltramaitis, president of the Paul N. Johnson Senior Babe Ruth League, at 508-864-1299; or Joe Kuras, former Owner/General Manager of the Grafton Lake Sox Baseball Club, at 508-868-2242.

Joe Kuras