MLB umpires Ted Barrett, Lance Barksdale and John Tumpane, the crew working the Diamondbacks – Pirates game tonight, took time out of their morning today to visit Phoenix Children’s Hospital as part of the UMPS CARE Charities BLUE for Kids program. The crew, along with Diamondbacks mascot Baxter, offered words of encouragement and Build-A-Bear® stuffed animals to children coping with serious illness. Each child was able to choose from a variety of pre-stuffed animals as well as clothing outfits for their new “furry” friend — including bear-sized Diamondbacks™ uniforms.
The event is made possible by UMPS CARE Charities, a non-profit organization founded by MLB Umpires to enrich the lives of at-risk youth and children coping with serious illness. This was the 151st hospital visit that MLB umpires have hosted since the program began in 2006, and was the first of 16 scheduled visits during the 2019 Major League Baseball season. Special thanks to our friends at Bristol-Myers Squibb for their support and to help make this visit in Phoenix possible,a nd thanks also to our friends at Captured Moments By Rita and Company for the great photos.
Check out this great segment about the visit, thanks to FOX10 in Phoenix. Click here for the report.