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Proceeds from this year’s game go into a fund to help Dutch D’Amico, who has leukemia.
CLEARWATER — Cops from Clearwater and Largo will square off Friday in a softball brawl to benefit the sick son of a Clearwater police officer.
The game at Bright House Networks Field will pit the Clearwater Strike Team against the Largo Police Department Rays for the third year in a row.
Clearwater won the first game; Largo took the second by a score of 20-13. Friday's contest will be the rubber match.
"I predict an unfortunate outcome for Clearwater — again," said Largo police lieutenant and outfielder Mike Loux.
Clearwater police Officer John Connor said it was virtually "100 percent" guaranteed that his squad would not get whipped this year. But even if they do lose, it's okay.
"Even if that happens it's still a good event," Connor said. "I walk away happy because we raised money for a needy person." Last year, the game raised about $10,000.
The beneficiary this year is 18-year-old Dutch D'Amico, son of longtime Clearwater police Officer Kevin D'Amico.
Dutch was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia in December. His first sign that something was wrong came during soccer season in November when his ribs began to hurt. Then his head hurt, too.
Dutch, a goalie on the Countryside High varsity team and on a Dunedin club team, thought it was just a sports injury, but it lingered. His mother made a doctor's appointment.
The symptoms looked like mononucleosis at first. Then doctors thought it was an enlarged spleen.
In December, however, a blood test revealed that he was suffering from acute lymphocytic leukemia.
He's been in chemotherapy at All Children's Hospital since December. Doctors say the prognosis is good.
"The hard-core treatments are between now and November," Dutch said. "And then I go into a maintenance phase where I just go in once every month or so, and they check and continue as they see needed with treatments."
In the meantime, his immune system is depleted so he can't go to school. He's worked at home to complete his coursework so he can graduate this spring. After graduation, he wants to go into criminal justice and become a police officer, like his father.
While the D'Amico family has health insurance through the city, the softball game will help pay medical expenses that aren't covered.
It's also an emotional boost.
"It makes you feel very safe knowing that people care and people are here for you," he said. "If there's one thing I want to add it's how grateful me and my family are for everything, not only the FOP but just everyone in general who has kind of stepped up and helped us out."
Jonathan Abel can be reached at jabel@sptimes.com (727) 445-4157.
>>If you go
Clearwater-Largo police softball game
The game takes place Friday at 4:30 p.m. at Bright House Networks Field, 601 Old Coachman Road, Clearwater. Tickets are $16 and should be bought at the stadium. They include admission to the 7 p.m. game between the Clearwater Threshers and the Sarasota Reds. Admission also includes all you can eat and drink from 6 to 9 p.m. Anyone with questions can call Roni Hunt at 562-4304 or Officer John Connor at 562-4182.
[Last modified: Apr 25, 2008 12:57 PM]
Comments on this article
by Roni
Apr 25, 2008 12:57 PM
Thank you to all those in the community who have been coming forward showing support for the D'Amico Family. Together we can lighten their burden in this small way. We hope to sell out the house tonight!!
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