Nearly 300 people attended the Fourth Annual Big Train Base Ball & Auction on Sunday November 17, 2002 at the Pooks Hill Marriott. Our Bethesda Community Base Ball Club raised in excess of $55,000 for our mission to improve the fields where our kids play ball.

Big Train Outstanding Service Awards were presented to John Ourisman, our Founder & Chairman; Christina Renshaw, our graphic artist from Text Design Inc.; Joyce Semmes, our Host Family Chair; and Slapshot of the Washington Capitals.

Montgomery County Council President Steve Silverman presented John Ourisman with a Proclamation expressing appreciation to John for his "vision, hard work, commitment, and leadership in the building of Shirley Povich Field and the Bethesda Community Base Ball Club." Bethesda Community Base Ball Club President Bruce Adams displayed a plaque and a bench that will be placed at the entrance to Povich Field to recognize John Ourisman's extraordinary community leadership. In addition, Adams announced that we have established the "John Ourisman Big Train Volunteer Honor Roll." Starting at next year's Big Train Base Ball & Auction and each year after, we will add to the Ourisman Honor Roll the names of those volunteers who have devoted significant volunteer time to Big Train baseball for a five year period.

Manager Derek Hacopian announced his 2002 Manager's Awards and presented an award to MVP pitcher Gus Hlebovy (Kent State) who made the trip from Ohio for the festivities. Byron Binda (RHP, Coastal Carolina University) shared MVP honors with Hlebovy. Co-Most Outstanding Hitter awards for 2002 went to David B. Hughes (Indiana) and Derek Hutton (Florida Atlantic).

Special guests included: Big Train coach Sal Colangelo; 1999 Big Train MVP Gregg Davies now with Cal Ripken's Aberdeen IronBirds; 2002 Big Train pitcher Matt Foster (Naval Academy); Chuck Hinton, former Washington Senator and Major League All-Star; Tim Kurkjian of ESPN's Baseball Tonight; the Washington Capitals's Slapshot; and 1999 and 2000 Big Train star Matt Swope now with the Clinton (IA) LumberKings.

Thanks to our outstanding MC for the event, Catherine Meloy of Clear Channel Communications, and our hard working Auctioneer, Chris Martens. Big 100 WBIG provided the music, Text Design designed the invitations and the auction program, Marriott was our host, Spectrum Printing & Graphics printed the auction program, Framers' Workroom framed our awards, The Gazette helped us publicize the event, and Hall of Fame Cards donated the ball cubes. Thanks also to all of our generous sponsors and donors of auction items.

This is the third year in a row that the auction has generated at least $50,000 for improving youth fields. With thanks to the Sponsors of the Fourth Annual Big Train Base Ball & Auction.