Baseball Traditions Dinner

The first annual Palisades Charter High School baseball traditions dinner and fundraiser will be held on November 14 at the American Legion Hall on La Cruz Drive. The public is invited but reservations are necessary. Dick Traweek, a local businessman, wanted to honor not only the team’s seven returning all-league players and a team that has won the last five Western League Championships, but start a tradition of honoring those instrumental to the success of the program. The first honoree will be the American Legion. “Their support throughout the years has been monumental,” Traweek said. “They are the ones who have been with us all these years. The American Legion sponsors a JV and Varsity team during the summer, which gives high school players the opportunity to play during the summer.” The event will include a silent auction and a raffle of a basketball signed by John Wooden, and Keith Erickson will be the guest speaker. Erickson is a legendary athlete, who was a member of John Wooden’s 1964 and 65 NCAA championship teams at UCLA. He originally had a basketball and baseball scholarship to UCLA, but after he completed the basketball season, the coaches wouldn’t let him play baseball and kept him strictly on the basketball team. Erickson played on the 1964 USA Tokyo Olympic Volleyball team and was a member of the 1972 Laker Championship team that won 33 straight games. Erickson was also the broadcast partner with Chick Hearn. John Wooden called him, “The best all-around athlete I ever coached.” Songwriter and singer Jerry Fuller will also be on hand to do a medley of songs from his 28 platinum and gold records. “He’ll take you down memory lane,” Traweek said. Fuller’s song writing credits include “Travelin’ Man” sung by Ricky Nelson, “Young Girl” by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, “I Still Long to Hold You” by Reba McEntire, “A Woman’s Touch” by Tom Jones, “Turn the Lights Down” by Johnny Mathis and “I’ve Been There” by O.C. Smith. “It’ll be a night to remember,” Traweek said. “I don’t think Pacific Palisades will see an evening like this, ever.” All proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit the baseball program at PaliHi, including paying for uniforms, insurance, field upkeep, tournament fees and equipment. Cocktail attire is required for the affair. For more information or reservation call: (310) 422-3496.