TCU students will be singing “Take me out to the ball game.”
Claire D. Abell Schieffer School of Journalism
April 10, 2007
TCU students will be singing “Take me out to the ball game.”
Chi Omega’s annual philanthropic event, Frats at Bat, is scheduled at the intramural fields April 12 - 13, 2007. Frats at Bat is a two-day men’s softball tournament benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of North Texas. Frats at Bat began at TCU in the late 1990s and the charity softball tournament has always supported the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of North Texas.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation® is an organization that grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses. This foundation began in 1980 after Chris Greicius, a 7-year-old boy with leukemia, wished to be a police officer. His wish inspired the birth of an organization that has fulfilled the dreams of more than 144,000 children around the world. A wish is granted every 41 minutes, according to www.wish.org.
“I love Make-a-Wish because I had a friend in high school who had her wish granted,” said Emily Wunderlick, chairman of Frats at Bat. “I was excited when I discovered Chi Omega supported the organization and wanted to contribute to the cause.”
One of the wishes the Rho Epsilon chapter of Chi Omega granted last year was to a child named Charlie whose wish was to have a play area because he loves being outside. Wishgranters filled his back yard with a Little Tikes Sand and Water Play Table, a chimes panel and other interactive toys. Charlie smiled and began playing with the water table and chimes as soon as he saw his new play set.
Jacqueline Martin, a senior Chi Omega from Houston, said, “The fact that this wish was granted because of our contributions is amazing. We’re looking forward to granting many more wishes in the future.”
Many on-campus organizations will contribute to making more wishes come true by participating in Frats at Bat. Eleven fraternities - Brothers Under Christ, Delta Tau Delta, Fiji, Kappa Sigma, Lambda Chi Alpha, Phi Delta Theta, Phi Kappa Sigma, Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma Chi and Sigma Phi Epsilon - are playing in the charity softball tournament this weekend. Several of these organizations have multiple teams participating in the tournament. For example, the Kappa Sigmas have one team comprised of members from Louisiana.
Allen Barham, Kappa Sigma senior from Monroe, La., said in a telephone interview, “We will have a Kappa Sig Louisiana team for the fifth year in a row. We might not be the best team out there, but we have the best time.”
Wunderlick said competition is fierce among the teams, and annual rivalries have developed through the years.
Several organizations have a strategy when making their roster for different teams. “We have our skilled guys on one team whose main motivation is to win while the other team is out there just to have fun,” said one Frats at Bat participant who wanted to remain anonymous.
Each of the 24 teams is guaranteed to play two games, and each team member will receive Croakies sunglasses holders in their respective fraternity’s colors monogrammed with “Chi O” and “Make-A-Wish.” The winning team will receive a trophy at the softball tournament.
A homerun derby open to all TCU students is scheduled before the championship game. The $10 entry fee is charged for the homerun derby and students who wish to participate may sign up at Frats at Bat.
Wunderlick said this would be the second year the tournament is scheduled at the intramural fields. She said it is more convenient for people to stop by and watch their friends play softball on campus.
Buck Elliot, a senior Sigma Phi Epsilon who has participated in Frats at Bat the past two years, said: “We don’t have too many events on campus that lots of student participate in. This is one that students love.”
This event is open to the public. Entry to Frats at Bat is free, but donations to the event are accepted. Parking will be available near the baseball stadium on W. Berry Street. Food and drinks will be sold and radio station 107.5 will provide complimentary DJ services both Saturday and Sunday.
Wunderlick said the goal this year is to raise $10,000, which is enough for three wishes to be granted. The money will be raised through team entry fees, T-shirt sales and tickets sales to the Texas Rangers game against Tampa Bay Wednesday in Arlington.
Two sections of the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington are reserved for tickets sold by Chi Omegas. Fifty percent of the ticket sales sold by Chi Omegas go to Make-A-Wish Foundation® of North Texas.
