A special baseball night set at the College of Staten Island

Staten Island Advance - Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Anthony Hillery is one of those kids who make you feel good about writing local sports.

He has always come across as bright, courteous and team-oriented. He's definitely on my list of favorite College of Staten Island athletes over the past nearly two decades of covering Dolphin sports.

Hillery's no longer at CSI -- the former captain of the baseball team has moved on to coach baseball and teach at New Dorp High School. But he'll return to his alma mater on Thursday, April 29 when he joins the Willowbrook college in hosting the fifth annual Grace Hillery Breast Cancer Awareness Night.

Anthony's mother died in February 2004 following a long battle with breast cancer. He was preparing for his junior season at the time, and it was his idea to honor his mother's memory. Thanks to a lot of his legwork, it has become a much-anticipated event at the CUNY Conference institution.

The baseball Dolphins will host Polytechnic University at 6 that evening, with a 50-50 drawing, raffles, the sale of T-shirts, etc., raising money to benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast cancer research, education and testing.

It's a great cause -- and a fun night. It's one of those local events that I look forward to all year, and CSI's baseball program and athletic staff is to be commended for its dedication in making it a special night.

Admission to the NCAA Division III game is free and spectators can receive information on breast cancer screenings and health tips.

Remember the date: Thursday, April 29 at 6 p.m. -- a single nine-inning game pitting CSI vs. Polytechnic University.

By Jim Waggoner
Reprinted here with permission from the