By Matt Mauney | Staff Writer
Anthony Abramson has had his hand in a few benefit softball tournaments in the past, but the one Aug. 18 at Plant City Stadium is personal.
Abramson, 40, of Riverview, is putting together the MADD Softball Benefit Tournament in memory of his mother, Jean McCarthy, who was killed by a drunken driver on Dec. 17, 2011, in Toms River, N.J.
“I want to show people that this is happening more and more every day and that’s it’s not OK to drink and drive,” Abramson said.
The benefit tournament is being sponsored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving and 1N3, an organization that focuses on drug and alcohol awareness, along with addiction recovery and grief recovery. Batting Zone Sports, where Abramson is a bat representative, is also a sponsor of the event.
“We want to use this tournament as a way to recognize Anthony’s mom and raise awareness, not just with softball players, but for anyone this event touches, that may know of someone or have lost a loved one to a (drunken) driver,” said Amber Saltzman, the MADD state development officer for Florida. “We want people to have a plan before they go out and have a good time and never drink and get behind the wheel.”
The man charged with McCarthy’s death recently pleaded not guilty to two charges — vehicular homicide and fleeing the scene of a crime. However, driving while under the influence is not one of the charges. He currently faces five to 10 years, a sentence Abramson is hoping to change, if not in this case, then in others with alcohol-related vehicular homicides.
“The laws need to be changed,” he said. “There have to be stricter laws to prevent this happening so often.”
Abramson, who has been an umpire for nearly five years, helped organize the Curtis and Kocab Benefit Tournament in August 2010, after the Tampa-based officers David Curtis and Jeffrey Kocab were killed in the line of duty in June 2010. The tournament was held at Randy Larson Park in Plant City.
Abramson again got involved with another benefit tournament last December to raise money for Morgan Pierce, a 7-year-old girl who was diagnosed with stage-four neuroblastoma in November 2008.
As of Tuesday, six men’s teams and 10 coed teams are signed up, but Abramson is hoping for 15 of each.
The cost of tournament entry is $250 per team if registration is made by Aug. 10. After that date, the cost increases to $300 per team. The tournament will consist of games in the coed and men’s divisions, along with a home run derby and various raffles and giveaways.
For more information, or to sign the petition for stricter laws, visit the MADD Softball Benefit Tournament in Memory of Jean McCarthy Facebook page.
Contact Matt Mauney at mmauney@plantcityobserver.com.