What's a World Series without a friendly wager?
New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter today announced a bet over the winner of this year's World Series, which calls for the losing mayor to travel to the winning city to join the winning mayor in a volunteer service project.
The losing mayor will also be required to wear the jersey of the 2009 World Series champs.
And throwing the colloquial axiom that ``there is no such thing as free lunch’’ to the wind, the losing mayor will cater lunch from a local restaurant for the volunteers working with the winning Mayor.
``Over past two seasons, the Phillies have been on an incredible ride, but the defending champs are about to become the former champs. The Yanks will be bringing the World Series title back to where it belongs – New York City,” said Mayor Bloomberg.
Marking a first for Major League Baseball, the first four games of the World Series will be dedicated to community service as a continuation of its “Going Beyond” initiative, which supports programs for veterans, cancer research and youth development.
According to New York City Economic Development Corporation, each World Series game played at Yankee Stadium generates $15.5 million in economic activity
Bloomberg has selected Publicolor to work with students painting open spaces at I.S. 131, the Albert Einstein School in the Bronx, while Nutter chose the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program to paint a mural on the side of a Philadelphia recreation center.
“The real winner of this friendly wager is the Philadelphia community that stands by our teams,” said Mayor Nutter. “We will reward their dedication with this public arts project that focuses on our children. The only thing more certain for Philadelphia than a repeat is a mural for the community to enjoy.”
“It is gratifying to see Mayor Bloomberg and Mayor Nutter join Major League Baseball in dedicating this year’s World Series to community service,” said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. “Mayor Bloomberg and Mayor Nutter have taken the traditional World Series bet between Mayors and turned it into an opportunity to give back to the community and enrich the lives of others.”
The last time the Yankees and Phillies squared off in a World Series came 59 years ago, when the ``Whiz Kids’’ were swept by the Bronx Bombers in 1950.
-Bill Lucey
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