Puhl Charity Ready
by Wayne Wark (Yorkton This Week & Enterprise)
While Terry Puhl played under the big lights of major
league baseball, he never forgot about the smaller
lights of Melville.
And even when he retired form the ball diamond to the
Houston stock market in 1991, he didn’t forget his
home.
Proof?
The Terry Puhl Baseball Dinner is slated for June 27
at Melville’s Prince William Motor Inn—and event and a
cause strongly endorsed by none other than Terry Puhl.
“We started working on this last July, and it was
something where Terry wanted to do something for the
community,” said dinner chairman Garnet Keller.
Puhl, 36, played 14 years as an outfielder with the
Houston Astros, New York Mets and Kansas City Royals.
He holds or shares four major league records,
including most hits in a playoff game.
His chosen charity is minor ball in Melville.
“All the money raised will go towards the purchase of
batting cages with pitching machines,” said Keller.
That money will come via an auction of collector’s
items and memorabilia from some of the biggest names
in professional sports.
Among the goodies expected to attract some attention
are baseballs signed by Nolan Ryan of the Texas
Rangers, Roger Clemens of the Boston Red Sox and
Darryl Strawberry of the Los Angeles Dodgers. As
well, balls signed by former greats Johnny Bench,
Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra will be up for grabs.
The NHL will also be represented at the auction, with
Tim Cheveldae, Steve Yzerman, Sergei Federov and Bob
Probert of the Detroit Red Wings donationg jerseys.
Toronto Maple Leafs Grant Fur and Wendel Clark, as
well as Patrick Roy of the Montreal Canadiens and Adam
Oates of the Boston Bruins will donate autographed
sticks.
The famous Detroit “Production Line” of Gordie Howe,
Sid Abel and Ted Lindsay will contribute an
autographed puck, as will former Chicago Blackhawk
great Bobby Hull and son Brett of the St. Louis Blues,
the NHL’s top goal-scorer the last three years.
Golfing memorabilia will also be on hand, with balls
autographed by Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer up for
bid.
Keller says his committee has gathered a wide range
of items ranging from baseball bats and hockey sticks
to collectors’ plates.
“I’ve a hot bunch of stuff I picked up the other day. There’s an autographed stick form Mark Messier, Fuhr
and Yzerman,” explained Keller.
“This is a once in a lifetime thing. I don’t know of
any other auction that will have the quality of items
we’ll have.” But how much money will it fetch? “I
have no idea.”
Tickets for the evening--$40 a head or $350 for a
table of eight—can be purchased at the dugout in
Yorkton as well as Watson’s Sporting Goods and Royal
Drug Mart in Melville.
The auction will follow a dinner from 6:30 p.m. to
7:30 p.m.
“We can only handle 300 people,” cautioned Keller.
“and I’m sure all the tickets will be sold.”
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