Top left; Tournament champions Barrow Neurological Institute. Bottom right; Columbia Neurosurgery’s team.
The 12th Annual Neurosurgery Charity Softball Tournament wasn’t just a fun day of softball in the sun, it succeeded in raising $100,000 for the Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation neuro-oncology research fellowships.
Held by Columbia’s Department of Neurological Surgery, in association with the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), the tournament also has annual sponsorship from the New York Yankees.
Since it began in 2003, with only a few local teams competing, the Tournament has grown into a highly anticipated annual event with dozens of teams and support from the community. Thanks to a declaration made during Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s tenure, the day of the tournament is “Neurosurgery Charity Softball Tournament Day” in the city of New York.
Family members and friends gathered in Central Park on Saturday, May 30, to watch faculty, fellows, residents, and interns from various neurosurgery teams from around the U.S. showcase their softball skills.
In addition to Columbia’s team, there were 31 other teams competing. For the fifth year in a row, The Barrow Neurological Institute of Phoenix, AZ won the championship game, but when the ultimate goal is funding a worthwhile cause like brain tumor research, no one really loses.
Clockwise from top left; Dr. Michael G. Kaiser, Dr. Robert A. Solomon; Resident Randy D’Amico; Dr. Paul C. McCormick, Dr. Jeffrey N. Bruce; Dr. Sameer A. Sheth at bat
Images from Columbia Department of Neurosurgery
