The coming weekend will be an active one sports-wise, what with the Artists and Writers Softball Game at East Hampton's Herrick Park and the Johnny Mac Tennis Project pro-am at the Sportime club in Amagansett Saturday, and Ellen's Run at Southampton's Intermediate School Sunday morning.
Last year's Artists-Writers Game, apparently the longest ever played, was won 11-10 by the Artists in the bottom of the 12th inning. With two outs in the decisive frame, Parker Calvert singled, and went all the way to third on Peter Cestaro's bloop hit, after which Andrei Lloyd, who was dubbed the Game's most valuable player as a result, drilled a John Franco offering into the outfield, scoring Calvert with the game-winner.
While still way behind in games that have been contested since 1948, the Artists — zany in the distant past, less so lately — now lead the Writers 19-15-1 in games played in the Bill Clinton umpiring era. Batting practice at the park is to begin at 12:30 p.m.; the Game, which benefits East End Hospice, Phoenix House, the Eleanor Whitmore Early Childhood Center, and the Retreat, is to begin at 2. Admission apparently is the same as it ever was, $10.
In June, the Game's board of directors gave out $1,000 scholarships to three East Hampton High School students — Bradley Rodriguez (journalism), Jadiel Rodriguez (performing arts), and Sienna Salamy (visual arts).
A pregame party (live music, light food, cash bar) is to be held tomorrow from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Clubhouse in Wainscott.
Ellen's Run, a 5K run/walk in its 30th year, a race that memorializes Dr. Julie Ratner's late sister, Ellen Hermanson, celebrates life and friendship, Ratner has said. "It's more than a race — every breast cancer survivor gets a rose. . . . The support and camaraderie we have at the race is spectacular. . . . The survivors have the best energy of everyone. There's a tremendous sisterhood among them."
Last year's race — and the three preceding it — was won by Sergey Avramenko, now, at 40, a masters runner who lives in Hampton Bays. A photo of the participating breast cancer survivors is to be taken at 8:40; the race/walk is to begin at 9. Ratner has said that getting to Southampton on a Sunday is a piece of cake.
The doors at Sportime will open to the Johnny Mac pro-am at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The event, which helps underwrite the project's efforts to give New York City's "under-resourced" children access to tennis, is to begin at 2.
