" PITCH, HIT and FUND is to inspire those that are able, and play the game,
at any level, to raise funds to make a difference in the lives of others."
at any level, to raise funds to make a difference in the lives of others."
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Testimonial and pledge request from Chris Rolfe.
(Transcribed & edited by Brandon Rolfe.) (PH&F logos designed and copyrighted by Michael Doucette) As Maine Woods Baseball catcher Chris Rolfe was gathering his gear for a "50 years and older" tournament in Fort Myers, Florida in February of 2019, he had his television tuned to the MLB Network. The program was highlighting Game One of the 1988 World Series between the Oakland Athletics and the Los Angeles Dodgers; in particular the bottom of the 9th match-up between pitcher Dennis Eckersley and pinch hitter Kirk Gibson. While the story line itself is an unforgettable part of baseball history, the subsequent game winning home run by Gibson cements this moment as one of the greatest of all time. The result of the at bat and the final score of the game was not surprising to Rolfe, the information provided to the viewers at the conclusion of the program was. Kirk Gibson, a player throughout the 1980's whom Rolfe and many others loved watching and appreciated for the skills and intensity he brought to the game of baseball, had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2015. As a child growing up, Chris' father, David Rolfe, was a Detroit Tigers fan - a team on which Gibson played for 12 seasons - and this resonated with Chris throughout his younger years living in New England as a Red Sox fan. During the late 1960's, Rolfe was introduced to, and fell in love with the game of baseball. His grandfather would purchase Topps baseball cards one box at a time, and he would waste no time shredding those packs hoping for his favorite Tigers and Red Sox players. David also coached a local Little League team in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and it was around this time that Chris learned to appreciate the game as a whole, instead of being focused on just his hometown team. He then started to follow some of the most attractive teams of the time including the Baltimore Orioles, Washington Senators, and of course the Detroit Tigers, while still remaining a true Red Sox fan. Upon moving from Portsmouth to Kennebunkport, Maine, his extended knowledge of the game worked to his advantage during pickup games with friends, who always identified as their favorite Red Sox superstars. Rolfe, on the other hand, then became Willie Horton, Bill Freehan, Al Kaline, Frank Howard, Boog Powell, and others while being looked at in confusion and disbelief. As he continued to play baseball through high school and eventually college at the University of Maine at Farmington, Rolfe never lacked appreciation and gratitude for his childhood idols, including the man who introduced him to the game. David was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease in 1998 at the age of 57, and while in the later stages of the disease, it was requested that he be tested for Parkinson's. The medical professionals were beginning to believe that there was a direct correlation between Alzheimers and Parkinson's and developing signs had supported that theory. A family history of the disease was also a variable, as Rolfe's Uncle George was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease at the age of 63 and passed away at the age of 74. Being so far advanced in his stages of Alzheimers at the time, as well as the expense and ambiguity of the tests, Rolfe and his family decided to forego the request believing that their father had simply been through enough. David passed away from his disease after a seven year battle in 2005 at the age of 65. "I feel quite fortunate at this point in my life to still be playing the great game of baseball," said Rolfe. "I am only now a few months away from being the same age as my father, when he was given his 'life sentence' by his doctors, and seeing the Gibson piece on MLB Network kind of brought it all together for me." Fast forward to February 2019, as Rolfe and teammate Ken Walsh sat to eat lunch at the Player Development Center in Fort Myers, Florida. With mention made in conversation about the Gibson segment, his family's stories, and the knowledge of the Kirk Gibson Foundation for Parkinsons research, Rolfe commented on his desire to still give back to something so personally meaningful and make a donation to the foundation at the end of their Maine Woods baseball season. These donations would be based on the number of hits he had per game and Gibson's number 23...$2.30 per hit. Walsh, without hesitation, remarked "Great idea... I'm in with you on that!" With this conceptual idea, Rolfe's intertwined personal relationship between baseball and family, and the unwavering support from Ken Walsh and Mike Doucette, who both have put an incredible amount of work into these initiatives, the Pitch, Hit and Fund campaign was born, to which the 2019 seasons proceeds will go to the Kirk Gibson Foundation for Parkinsons Research. All players from Maine Woods Baseball are encouraged to participate, as donations can be pledged as a pitcher per strikeout, offensively by hit, or a flat donation for those who are able.
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