FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Karen Sloan, APR

(239) 461-2914 or ksloan@leegov.com
or
 Heather O'Connell
(239) 461-2924 or hoconnell@leegov.com

 

Lee County Library System Patrons Win Top Prizes in National Baseball Contest

FORT MYERS, Fla., October 28, 2005

 

Lee County patrons have won two of the top prizes in the national "Join the Major Leagues @ your library” contest. The Lee County Library System
(LCLS) itself placed second among libraries nationwide, for the highest number of entries submitted and will receive a $100 American Library Association gift certificate.

Tyler Upmann, a Cape Coral- Lee County Public Library patron, and Nicholas Blaze, a North Fort Myers Public Library patron, were among 12 national first-prize winners. Each winner will receive a copy of "Jackie’s Nine" by Sharon Robinson (daughter of baseball legend Jackie Robinson), a Join the Major Leagues @ your library T-shirt and an American Library Association “History Lives @ your library®” poster featuring Jackie Robinson.

“The Join the Major Leagues @ your library contest uses baseball trivia to help children and adults build their 21st century information literacy skills and better understand how libraries and librarians can help them.” said Lee County Library System Development Specialist Karen Sloan, who coordinates the program for LCLS.

Players are challenged to use library resources to answer questions like "What player holds the big league record with 4,256 hits?" or "The designated hitter made its first appearance in the major leagues in what year?"

The program, now in its fourth year, was developed by the American Library Association, Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association. Questions, available in both English and Spanish, were developed by the library staff at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown and were divided by age category (10 and under, 11-13, 14-17 and 18 and over). Players needed to answer four trivia questions correctly to be eligible for the grand-prize drawing.

 

Last year, James Dinkins of Cape Coral was the grand prize winner and attended a World Series game in St. Louis between the Cardinals and the Boston Red Sox. In addition, Drew Leitman, of Cape Coral won one of the first prizes last year.
 
Events were also held throughout the summer to support Join the Major Leagues @ your library. The Lee County Library System teamed up with Miracle Baseball for special promotions at baseball games, with player visits and programs at Lee County Library System locations.

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