Baseball Victoria is pleased to share that the upcoming weekend of the VSBL competition will be dedicated to the Pat Cronin Foundation and their efforts to end the coward punch and unnecessary violence once and for all.
The VSBL Pat Cronin Round on the weekend of Dec 7th – 9th will bring junior and senior players, as well as spectators, club volunteers and officials together in support of a fantastic cause. Following the devastating loss of their son Pat after he was punched from behind at a local bar on a quiet night out, Matt and Robyn Cronin created this foundation in his honor, with the hopes of raising awareness and educating the public about these cowardly attacks and how to prevent such horrible violence.
This special round comes on the heels of their education session at Newport Baseball Club and their successful third annual Walk to the Valley fundraiser, which saw more than 1,800 people walk 8.2 km to pay tribute to Pat and promote respect. This gives the foundation the chance to spread their important message through the local baseball community. “Our recent presentation to NBC shows that our message is just as relevant in the baseball community as it is in schools, football clubs, and any other community groups,” Matt said.
This commitment to positive change can benefit local clubs, teams, players and spectators who want to make a difference and stand up for what’s right. “This is a great opportunity for the baseball community to send a message to society that they are standing with us and our message to Be Wise and to End the Coward Punch,” Matt added. “Pat was a 19-year-old boy who went out for a quiet Saturday night and never came home due to a senseless act of violence. This should never have happened and we know with the help of the community we can stop it from happening again.”
As part of the VSBL Pat Cronin Round, the foundation has provided wristbands for each VSBL club to sell and collect donations this weekend and in the following weeks. All participants are encouraged to shake hands before the game as well as after as a sign of respect to one another. “A simple gesture like shaking hands both before and after each game can show genuine respect for your opponent, and respect is what we need more of,” Matt said.
Clubs are also invited to showcase their support on social media with photos and videos that Baseball Victoria will be happy to repost. To get involved, clubs can include the hashtags #PC12, #BeWise and #Endthecowardpunch.
Baseball Victoria CEO Justin Huber says the organisation is pleased to be shining a light on such an important issue alongside a family who has turned their devastating loss into a determined mission. “The Pat Cronin Foundation has such a valuable message to share, and we completely support their initiatives to stop the spread of violence in our communities to make everywhere, whether it’s a local pub or a sports field, a safe space for all,” Huber said. “We look forward to this upcoming round and seeing our VSBL clubs take part in such an important cause.”