e-mail   murphy@murphymartin.com

Murphy Martin Commentary
November 8, 2007

"Bobby Bragan Still Helping Young People Attend College"

For someone who never finished college, Bobby Bragan,former Major-League baseball player and Manager, is still making sure students from nineteen school districts in the Metroplex (Greater Dallas-Fort Worth area) will get an opportunity to attend a college of their choice when they graduate from high school.

Tomorrow evening, November 9th., at the Worthington Hotel in Fort worth we will see the 2008 graduates honored at the Gala banquet. These graduates will be added to the 401 total scholarships reached last spring. Yes, the young native from south Alabama still dreams and he continues to touch young lives in ways that last a lifetime.

And, scholarships earned from the Bobby Bragan Foundation are different from most others.

Students in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades are judged on academics, extra-curricular work, athletics, and writing skills after completing an essay on their favorite role model. Students from those grades who make application to the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation and those chosen as candidates will receive their college scholarship after completing their high school work, on schedule and in a timely manner.

The Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation awarded it's first scholarships in 1992. To raise monies to financially support the scholarships, Bragan staged an annual benefit golf tournament and once a year also held the Bobby Bragan Annual Gala Banquet. Now, the Annual Bobby Bragan Lifetime Achievement Award Gala is held as the principle fundraising event to support the Scholarships.
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That event takes place tomorrow evening in the Worthington Hotel. This year's winner is Earl Weaver, a baseball revolutionary known for his winning managerial philosophy. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall Of Fame in 1996.

Among other sports names in town tomorrow evening will include: Tom Grieve, Lou Brock, Tom Lasorda, Former American League President Dr.Bobby Brown, Bobby Valentine, Maury Wills, President Dale Petroskey, of the Baseball Hall of Fame. And we will serve as Emcee.

`Bobby Bragan will celebrate his 90th birthday tomorrow evening as several members of the Bragan family form a group around the piano to join the 640 guests conclude the evening with a booming Happy Birthday to a one of a kind . He doesn't just talk about dreams, Bobby Bragan makes those dreams come true. With his scholarship students enrolled in most all the nation's service academies and other colleges and universities across America. It should not be surprising this South Alabama lad who jumped to the acceptance of Jackie Robinson as a team-mate on the Brooklyn Dodgers, today is one of only eight surviving members of the 1947 Brooklyn team that help make history by welcoming Robinson into their fold.

Nobody knows when they will be taken from this earth. But when that day arrives for Bobby Bragan, two things we feel strongly about. The inscription on his headstone should include:
"You can't hit the ball with the bat on your shoulder!"

And when Bobby reaches the Pearly Gates, Saint Peter will swing the gates open wide....will lean over...spread his hands wide apart and say..."SAFE at HOME"...many friends are waiting!"
Bobby, we hope you have many more birthdays before Saint Peter makes his call.

You are a very special man. More than 401 young men and women from 19 School Districts will attest to that. They have earned college scholarships, made possible by you. They will never forget who made those possible.

Nor will we.

That's my time, thank you for yours.

Murphy Martin

Your thoughts and comments forwarded to my website will be appreciated.

e-mail   murphy@murphymartin.com

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