ATLANTA, GA. - The Atlanta Braves will host the National Pro Fastpitch All-Stars here Saturday (July 5) at Turner Field as the powerful line up of top female fastpitch players participate in the Major League Baseball team's Baseball 101 for Women, presented by Publix Super Markets.
The NPF All-Stars will be at Turner Field for events surrounding the Braves' game Saturday with the Montreal Expos. Baseball 101, the Braves' five-year old program for adult women, will feature the NPF All-Stars participating in a late morning and early afternoon session followed by a "Meet & Greet" gathering and pre-game introductions.
With 4 p.m. (EDT) game set Sunday at Frost Stadium in Chattanooga, Tenn., against the East Cobb All-Stars, the NPF All-Stars will conclude their southern trip by appearing Monday in Duluth, Ga., for a Hardball Warehouse clinic and appearance. The NPF All-Stars started their southern trip with an appearance Wednesday in Miami at Pro Player Stadium before the Braves' game with the Florida Marlins.
Led pitcher Amy Kyler (Cleveland State) and third-baseman Jaime Foutch
(Oklahoma State), the 2003 NPF All-Stars feature collegiate All-Americans from Arizona, Arizona State and other top schools. The Atlanta stop will be a homecoming of sort for NPF All-Stars Venus Taylor, who is a former assistant coach at Georgia Tech.
In addition to posting a 9-2 record in games in California, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Colorado this season, the NPF All-Stars have hosted clinics and made appearances at Major League Baseball games in San Francisco, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Denver and Miami. The southern stops are a part of a nation-wide tour visiting 17 cities as the schedule partners with 12 Major League Baseball clubs in 12 of those cities. Official league play is scheduled to begin early summer, 2004.
"We've assembled a great group of top-notch athletes for our All-Star team and we're excited about the competition we'll meet while on tour. Our partnership with Major League Baseball gives us a great opportunity to bring fastpitch action to baseball and softball fans alike and really show what women can do on the diamond," said Rich Levine, President and CEO of National Pro Fastpitch.
National Pro Fastpitch is the only professional women's fastpitch softball league in the U.S. Major League Baseball is the official development Partner of NPF. The league is headquartered in Denver, Colo., and has been in operation since 1997 under the names Women's Pro Fastpitch (WPF) and Women's Professional Softball League (WPSL).
Southern Activities, 2003 NPF All-Star Tour
Saturday, July 5, 2003 - Atlanta, Ga.
·For the fifth consecutive year, the Atlanta Braves will hold Baseball 101 for Women, presented by Publix Super Markets. Baseball 101 offers women age 18 and older the opportunity to learn various aspects of the game during a clinic at Turner Field. Participants will have the chance to learn about batting, fielding and pitching from the NPF All-Stars along with Braves players and coaches. At the end of the day, each participant will enjoy a nutritious lunch, receive a certificate of course completion, T-shirt, goodie bag and two tickets to that evening's Braves game vs. the Montreal Expos. Women interested in participating in Baseball 101 can pick up a registration form at any Atlanta-area Publix Super Market, print a registration form (PDF) from the community section on www.atlantabraves.com, or telephone 404/614-1327. A portion of the registration fee will be donated to a local women's charity. Activities start at 10 a.m. with a $50 registration fee for women (18 and up) at Turner Field. For information on a package deal that includes a Braves game (July 5), a NPF exhibition game (July 6) and a fastpitch clinic (July 7), please visit
www.hardballwarehouse.com.
Sunday, July 6, 2003 - Chattanooga, Tenn.
·4 p.m. - The NPF All-Stars play an exhibition game at Frost Stadium in
Chattanooga, Tenn. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for kids (12 & under). Tickets are available from The Pitcher's Mound at the Hardball Warehouse in Duluth, Ga. or at the gate on game day.
Monday, July 7, 2003 - Duluth, Ga.
·10 a.m. - The Pitcher's Mound at the Hardball Warehouse in Duluth, Ga., presents an all- day clinic instructed by the NPF All-Stars (lunch included). The cost is $65 per athlete. A "WEEKEND PACKAGE RATE" is available for $150 (two July 5 Braves tickets, two NPF exhibition tickets for the July 6 in Chattanooga, July 7 clinic fee and a Pitcher's Mound T-Shirt). For more information or to register, go to www.hardballwarehouse.com or telephone 678/957-0885.
