Frederick Keys News Release

For Immediate Release, 6 July 2004
Contact: Chris McMurry at 301-815-9955, cmcmurry@frederickkeys.com
 
- Keys Announce Plans For 9th Annual Charity Golf Classic -
- Event Benefits Fund of Former Orioles Prospect Who Died of Colon
Cancer -
 
The Frederick Keys, along with their parent company Comcast-Spectacor, today announced the schedule of events for the 9th Annual Frederick Keys/SunTrust Charity Golf Classic on Tuesday, July 13, at Rattlewood Golf Course near Mt. Airy.
 
Proceeds from the event will benefit The Joel A. Stephens Memorial Fund (Joel's Kids) held by The Community Foundation of Frederick County. For the third consecutive year, the Keys will announce the beneficiary of the Joel> '> s Kids grant at the post-event awards ceremony. Last year> '> s recipient was the Myersville Junior Baseball League, and in 2002, the Challenger Little League of Frederick was selected as the inaugural Joel's Kids grant recipient.
 
Elizabeth Y. Day, Community Foundation President, shares that," We are honored to hold The Joel A. Stephens Memorial Fund and to continue awarding grants from this fund that make a real difference in the lives of the youth of Frederick County."
 
Those unable to participate in the golf tournament, who still wish to contribute to The Joel A. Stephens Memorial Fund, may send checks payable to and mailed to The Community Foundation of Frederick County at 312 East Church Street, Frederick, MD 21701. Insert "Joel's Kids" in the check's memo line. To make a gift using Visa or MasterCard, call 301-695-7660.

Joel's Kids was established in memory of Joel Stephens, a former prospect in the Baltimore Orioles> '> minor league system who spent time with the Delmarva Shorebirds of the South Atlantic League. Stephens was diagnosed with colon cancer following the 1997 season and attempted to make a comeback in 1998 with the Keys. Unfortunately, his comeback fell short, and he passed away in late September of that year.
 
"Joel was one of the most inspirational and courageous players ever to play in the Orioles organization," said Mark Zeigler, who founded the Keys annual charity golf classics in 1996, and later established the Joel A. Stephens Memorial Fund aka "Joel's Kids" in 1999. "His desire to help children in need, despite the personal challenges he faced, left a positive impression on everyone he met, and it is a honor to be able keep his legacy alive through "Joel's Kids."

"We always look forward to hosting this event, because it brings
everyone in the Keys family together to benefit a great cause,"
said Joe Pinto, general manager of the Frederick Keys." It's
also a day where we can thank our sponsors for all of their help
throughout the year and for making the Keys experience entertaining
and affordable."

Last year, 144 golfers, dozens of volunteers and the entire Keys'
front office staff participated in the golf classic, which raised
$10,500 for Joel's Kids. The day features a catered lunch by
Outback Steakhouse of Frederick, a breakfast catered by BB's
Bagels & Bread, a silent auction, and a awards ceremony introducing
this year's Joel's Kids recipients. SunTrust will once again serve as
the title sponsor of the event.

The 2003 golf tournament featured a new award, when MIKE HUGGINS was presented with the Inaugural Steve Bechler Memorial Spirit Award. The award is given to the Keys player who best represents the spirit of Joel's Kids.

Steve Bechler was a pitcher in the Orioles organization who died unexpectedly during a spring training workout in February 2003 in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., at the age of 23. He spent parts of two seasons with the Keys, in 2000 and 2001. The Keys front office created the award to remember the late pitcher who was always enthusiastic about helping with Joel's Kids during his two seasons with the team.

Keys manager TOM LAWLESS, pitching coach SCOTT McGREGOR and hitting coach MOE HILL will participate in this year's tournament along with several Keys players.

For more information on the Frederick Keys/SunTrust Charity Golf Classic, contact Mark Zeigler of the Keys at 301-662-0013 or visit www.joelskids.org.

Comcast-Spectacor (comcast-spectacor.com) is the Philadelphia-based sports and entertainment firm which owns the Philadelphia Flyers, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Philadelphia Phantoms, the Wachovia Center, the Wachovia Spectrum, Flyers Skate Zone community ice skating and ice hockey facilities, Comcast SportsNet, and three minor league affiliates of the Baltimore Orioles - the Bowie Baysox, the Delmarva Shorebirds and the Frederick Keys. Comcast-Spectacor is also the principal owner of Global Spectrum, the public assembly facilities management firm with more than 35 facilities throughout the United States and Canada, Ovations Food Services, a food and beverage services provider, and Patron Solutions, a full-service ticketing and marketing product for public assembly facilities.
 
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