Larry A. Pogofsky All-Star Challenge Announces Huge Lineup of Chicago Sports Legends
Have you ever found yourself envious of a friend whose social media feed is filled with pictures of them with all your favorite baseball players? Then you find out that you could have shared the experience for a relatively nominal cost and you end up kicking yourself. Well, you may have avoided such a fate just by clicking to read this post.
Just imagine being able to witness a team comprised of Ozzie Guillen, Scott Podsednik, Jermaine Dye and Magglio Ordóñez squaring off against the likes of Billy Williams, Fergie Jenkins, Carlos Zambrano, and Jerome Walton. And that’s only a fraction of the players who will be in attendance on September 14 at the Larry A. Pogofsky All-Star Challenge.
Mr. Pogofsky was a longtime White Sox investor and just a die-hard baseball fan in general. He was also passionate about healthcare research thanks to a life-changing experience at the University of Chicago and served as a board member and former president of the GI Research Foundation (GIRF), which supports research at the University of Chicago that advances treatments and cures of digestive disease.
This event is a way for the Pogofsky family and GIRF to honor Mr. Pogofsky‘s legacy while funding important medical research. And what better way to do it than with a whole day of entertainment that features something for baseball fans of all ages?
The Larry A. Pogofsky Chicago All-Star Challenge is the best family friendly celebrity sports event to attend in Chicago and supports the Gastro-Intestinal Research Foundation. Thirty of Chicago’s biggest baseball (and hockey and football) legends will compete in a competitive North Side (Cubs) vs. South Side (Sox) celebrity softball game.
This year the event moves to the brand new Impact Field in Rosemont on Saturday, September 14th. Prior to the softball game, 6 “big hitters” will compete in a Home Run Derby. Over 30 well known athletes are scheduled to attend including Lance Briggs (NFL), Chris Chelios (NHL), Joe Crede, Jermaine Dye, Cliff Floyd, Ozzie Guillen, Fergie Jenkins, Scott Podsednik, Darryl Sutter, Frank Thomas, Carlos Zambrano and more. Come meet the athletes that help keep Chicago known as the best sports town in the USA!
For those of you with younger kids, there is a kids clinic implemented by the athletes and the Chicago White Sox Camp that can be added on to an event day ticket (only 100 available). VIP ticket purchasers (only 200 available) will be invited to a private post game reception at Impact Field where you can meet and interact with most of the athletes that includes a BBQ dinner, beer and soft drinks. Whether you are 7 or 70 years old, you will love this event!
The list below comes via the event’s Facebook page and could yet grow as they still have several big names waiting to confirm.
White Sox
Adam Russell
Andruw Jones
Bill Simas
Brian Anderson
Carl Everett
Freddy Garcia
Herm Schneider
Jermaine Dye
Joe Crede
Magglio Ordonez
Mike Huff
Norberto Martin
Ozzie Guillen
Ron Karkovice
Scott Podsednik
Toby Hall
Jack McDowell
Cubs
Adam Greenberg
Antonio Alfonseca
Bill Madlock
Billy Willams
Brian McRae
Carlos Zambrano
Cliff Floyd
Corey Patterson
Fergie Jenkins
Jacque Jones
Jerome Walton
Jon Lieber
Kyle Farnsworth
Randy Hundley
Ray Burris
Roosevelt Brown
Ryan Dempster
Non Cubs/Sox
Adam Burish
Chris Chelios
Darryl Sutter
Lance Briggs
Vida Blue
Here’s a schedule of events for the day, per the event’s website
- 11:00am – 12:30pm: Kids Clinic
- 12:30pm: Gates Open / Athlete Warm-Ups
- 1:30pm: Home Run Derby
- 2:30pm: National Anthem and Lineups
- 2:45pm: Celebrity Softball Game Starts
- 4:30pm – 6:30pm: VIP Ticket Holder BBQ
Tickets for the game start at $22 for general admission and go up to $36 for premium seating or $125 for a VIP experience that includes a Wintrust Home Plate Box seat and access to the VIP BBQ after the game. The Kids Clinic is $60 per child and is open to children ages 6-13. Click here for more info or to purchase tickets.
And you might want to pay attention to Cubs Insider’s social media channels between now and September since we’ll have some pretty sweet giveaways for you. No, not you…you.