BoSox Brotherhood brings 'Spaceman' to Nova Scotia

BY JOHN DECOSTE

jdecoste@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

The Bluenose BoSox Brotherhood is bringing baseball icon Bill ‘Spaceman’ Lee to Nova Scotia as the special guest at a celebrity dinner and silent auction fundraiser Saturday, Nov. 1 in Dartmouth.

Lee, one of baseball’s premier characters, suited up for the Boston Red Sox, Montreal Expos, Moncton Mets and Sydney Sooners as part of a successful and always interesting baseball career, including a number of appearances at Kentville’s Memorial Park.

What is likely to be an evening of fun and baseball nostalgia gets underway at 5 p.m. at the Boston Pizza location at Dartmouth Crossing with a social hour and silent auction. Proceeds will be split between the IWK Children’s Hospital and minor baseball.

As well as addressing the crowd and taking part in a question-and-answer session, Lee will be available to sign autographs for those in attendance.

Local author and BBB founding member Jim Prime says 200 people “would be a huge success for us. We already have around 100 from our own membership, so we’re well on our way to reaching our goal.”

Prime described Lee, with whom he has collaborated on two books, as “one of the more outrageous characters in baseball history. He’s colourful, articulate, knowledgeable about the game of baseball and more than willing to talk on a variety of subjects.

“One of the misconceptions about Bill is that he’s not serious, a joke, but the reality is he was one of the best left-handed pitchers of his era, and certainly one of the best for the Red Sox. He’s a lot more than just a character.”

Prime added, “it has always been part of (the BBB) mandate to bring in players on occasion for special appearances and fundraising events. The list of available players really isn’t that long, but on the other hand there’s really only one Bill Lee.”

For more information on the Nov. 1 event, including a list of the silent auction items, check out the BBB website at www.bluenosebosoxbrotherhood.zoomshare.com.