Our ALS partner in 2019 was the Angel Fund Rich, and Ratt Kennedy has been president of the Angel Fund for 20 years. Ratt lost his father to ALS, then his youngest brother to ALS in 1995. He’s worked tirelessly raising money for Dr. Brown and his staff at UMass Medical Center at the Cecil B. Day Laboratory for Neuromuscular Research. In a cruel twist of fate, Ratt, while training for his 31st Boston Marathon in January of 2016 began getting a tingling in his legs. This sensation progressed over the next several weeks and his worst nightmare was realized when he was diagnosed with ALS in April of 2016 carrying the familia gene.

The past nine 100 inning games, Ratt has been alongside Walter Bentson, our umpire chief also diagnose with ALS, the duration of the game.

A total of 20 players were insane enough to play all 100 innings, including Scot Leslie who played all 100 innings in the field – we believe to be a first in the game’s history. There were also fifteen 6-man umpiring crews from throughout Massachusetts rotating in every 2 hours supporting Walter, who put on the umpiring gear himself at midnight for his annual appearance behind the plate.