by Randy Ooney
My Nickel’s Worth by Randy Ooney
Bowling with the Stars
Recently at the Brunswick Zone in Brooklyn Park,
Denard Span and Orlando Hudson of the Minnesota Twins hosted “Twins and Pins”, a fund raising event where mere mortals could spend an evening bowling with famous Twins players.
I checked into the opportunity and found that if you wanted to participate on a pair of lanes with a Twins player, you had to fork over $625.00 for three games. This is about the same amount I pay for 96 games in my Friday night league, but then I get about a fourth of that back at the end of the year, along with a decent meal. If you just wanted to participate under the same roof at the zone, the cost was “only” $300.00. That’s about what I pay to bowl 96 games in my Monday morning league, but once again I receive a meal and a return in the form of prize money next Spring.
The event was a fund raiser, and I have no problem with the high participation fees. After all, there will be many $500.00 per plate campaign fund raisers going on in the next few months, and the players hosting the event probably pay that much for a steak dinner in New York, but it was a little expensive for my budget. But since the Zone is close to my home, I ventured down there last Thursday, with 40 bucks in my pocket and a few baseball cards, in hopes of maybe securing an O-Dog graph, or seeing how well Joe Nathan can bowl left handed. I got to the door and found that admission for spectators was $50.00. Holy Cow! I only wanted to see a few millionaires bowl, not buy a carton of cigarettes. It doesn’t even cost that much for most seats at Target Field, to watch them play something at which they’re good. My 5 year old van looked out of place in the parking lot among the Hummers and Escalades anyway, so I decided to wait for Twinsfest 2011.
A little rich for my budget, but I do respect the players for organizing a bowling event on their day off, and spending the time to give something back to the community in the form of charity events. And by the way, there was no truth to the rumor that Chelsea Clinton’s wedding rehearsal dinner was part of the event. There’s no question that Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush have lent their time and exalted names to raise millions for relief in third world countries, and I am happy to respect them for that. But when it comes to marrying off the former first daughter, that million will be spent elsewhere.
The wedding has been kept as secret as possible, but I don’t think it will take place in Bristol, CT.
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