Tickets and a Radiotelethon

THINKCURE RADIO TELETHON TAKES TO THE AIRWAVES THIS WEEKEND

Online auction launches today in advance of inaugural charity benefit

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced that the inaugural ThinkCure radiotelethon will take place this weekend on KABC 790 AM, 95.5 KLOS FM, and KCAL 9 to promote awareness and raise funds for cancer research. Fans can make donations to the Dodgers’ official charity online at www.thinkcure.org, by calling (866) 554-CURE, or in person at the stadium throughout this weekend.

Fans are now able to bid online at www.dodgers.com on auction items such as a pregame visit in the booth with Dodger Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully, a VIP trip to the Dodgers’ new Spring Training facilities in Glendale, Arizona, an autographed guitar by Melissa Etheridge, and signed jerseys of several Dodgers players including Joe Torre, Manny Ramirez, Matt Kemp, James Loney, Andre Ethier, Nomar Garciaparra, Hiroki Kuroda, and Russell Martin. 

The Think Blue sign that can be seen in the hills beyond left field and has become one of the signature identification points of Dodger Stadium has been changed to read “ThinkCure” in honor of the radio telethon. In addition, the official ThinkCure logo will be painted onto the field in foul territory at Dodger Stadium.

Beginning tomorrow, KCAL and KCBS will air feature stories about ThinkCure and the life-saving research being done at City of Hope and Childrens Hospital, the two Dodgers’ partners in ThinkCure.

The radio telethon kicks off this Friday morning at 5 a.m. on KABC 790 with Doug McIntyre, as Dodger Owner Frank McCourt and Dodger Manager and cancer survivor Joe Torre will be on the air with popular morning show hosts Mark & Brian from KLOS, followed by McIntyre. KABC, the Dodgers’ flagship radio station and its sister station, KLOS, will have various Dodger guests on the air over the next 36 hours to help promote the inaugural event. That will include a number of Dodger players and coaches whose lives have been affected by cancer in one way or another.

At Friday night’s game, volunteers will hand out ThinkCure! pens to fans as they enter the stadium and fans will receive the compact disc entitled “Dodgers Baseball: Music to your Ears,” compliments of Carl’s Jr.. The CD is the soundtrack of Dodger Stadium and will include tracks such as “Talkin’ Baseball” by Terry Cashman, “Can’t Stop the Blue” by Ozomatli, “D-O-D-G-E-R-S SONG (OH REALLY? NO, O’MALLEY)” by Danny Kaye, and an introduction by Dodger Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully. The Dodgers recently announced the CD’s release in addition to their existing promotional schedule and it will be distributed one per family.

Marilyn McCoo and her husband, cancer survivor Billy Davis Jr., both of The Fifth Dimension, will perform the National Anthem on Friday night followed by their original new song, “That’s When I Fell in Love with Baseball.” Singer, songwriter, and actress Michelle Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas and “Knott’s Landing” will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

On Saturday morning, the Dodgers’ Women’s Initiatives Network (DodgersWIN) will present a baseball clinic and luncheon at Dodger Stadium from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The fee of $125 for the event, called “Play to WIN,” includes a ticket to any available regular season Dodger home game in 2008 and is open to fans 15 and older. Net proceeds benefit ThinkCure!

Second baseman Jeff Kent, bullpen coach Ken Howell, bench coach Bob Schaefer and strength and conditioning coordinator Brendon Huttman will host the on-field clinic from 10 a.m. to noon along with more than a dozen former Dodger legends. Following the clinic, Torre, Dodger hitting coach Don Mattingly, All-Star catcher Russell Martin, and outfielder Matt Kemp are expected to be on hand for the luncheon. All Dodger personnel are scheduled to take part in the on-air portion of the radio telethon.

KABC 790 and 95.5 KLOS FM will be broadcasting live from Dodger Stadium, with KABC on site at each event beginning at 1 p.m. until the first pitch of the game and KLOS going live from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

On Saturday night, nine children and 25 doctors from Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and City of Hope will be honored on the field in a pregame ceremony honoring the resolve of cancer researchers and the courage of cancer patients. ThinkCure! volunteers will pass out pens to all adults who enter the stadium.

Rock and roll singer Freddy “Boom Boom” Cannon will perform the National Anthem prior to the game, followed by his new original song “The Dodgers are the Heart of LA.”

During the KCAL game telecast on Saturday night, donation information will scroll at the bottom of the screen, encouraging viewers to take part in radio telethon.

ThinkCure was launched in July 2007 by the Los Angeles Dodgers, the McCourt family, City of Hope, and Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. ThinkCure is a charity whose purpose is to raise funds to support cancer research, and whose mission is to find a cure for cancer.