GILLIES:
We probably played 40 softball games over a summer, sometimes two a night and my wife would sometimes say I can't wait till the season starts so I can see you again. And I wasn't home much during the season, so it kind of tells you how much we were out.
RALPH SELLITTI (VP TICKET SALES/PART-TIME PITCHER):
We used to draw crowds in excess of 2,000 people. It was insane. People would be lined up in the parking lot as the players came in just to get their autographs. That's how popular it was.
Editor's Note: In 1982 the Islanders reportedly raised over $200K in approximately 15 charity games, per a 1983 story in the New York Times.
MORROW:
We played Don Imus every summer, he would have a team of celebrity players. We'd go to play the King and his Court, which was a famous travel team that went around the country. There were only four of them on the team: a pitcher, catcher, one outfielder and one infielder and they would beat teams that had nine players out there. That was their thing, that's what they did, they went around the country and it was a show they put on. I got to know the dad [Eddie Feigner], he was a famous softball player and his son was the catcher. That was probably the game I remember the most.
GILLIES:
Lorne Henning was a very good fastball pitcher and we beat [The King and his Court] a couple of times and they were a little annoyed with that (laughs).
NYI: Would the games get competitive?
MORROW:
Always. (Laughs.) You can never do anything where it doesn't get a little competitive, but ultimately it was all about charity. Even though it was all for charity - a lot of those teams the fire department or whatever would load up on ringers.