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One of the stars of the Boston Red Sox 1967 Impossible Dream Team helped put the spotlight on Alzheimer’s disease with a talk in Haverhill.
Shortstop Rico Petrocelli addressed guests last Thursday at Benchmark at Haverhill Crossings, an assisted living and memory care center at an event organized by the Northeastern Massachusetts Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, a group that works with Major League Baseball to raise awareness. The Association’s Senior Director of Development Lauren Ritchie explains.
“It’s a great opportunity. Sometimes those memories that are from your younger years are more ingrained in there, and hearing music and seeing pictures from when people used to go to the ballgames years ago, really helps them get excited and remember what it was for them and their families. They have a great time connecting and getting back to that,” she explained.
Petrocelli told stories and took questions, including what was it like to see Fenway Park for the first time.
“Yeah, they took me for a workout after high school for three days and, boy, I walked up that ramp. I don’t know how many of you remember that. Wow! There’s the Green Monster, I can almost touch this! And it was just great coming in. It’s just a great ballpark. And, then we learned how great the fans were,” he said.
Petrocelli brought his wife of 59 years, Elsie. Petrocelli had a 12-year major league career, but met his wife while playing in the minors in Seattle in the early 1960s before making it to the majors.
The gathering wrapped up with musician Phil Cosgrove singing and playing the keyboard with Petrocelli’s accompaniment to great applause.
“Cause it’s one, two, three strikes you’re out at the old ball game.”
The Northeast Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association is holding a fundraising Walk to End Alzheimer’s, Sunday, Oct. 6, in Andover. There’s more information on its website act.alz.org.