The Hartford Presents Power of Ability Night

Sports Fans Invited To The Hartford's 'Power of Ability Night'

At New Britain Rock Cats' Double-header On Tuesday, June 29

U.S. Paralympic medalists take to the field for first pitch, wheelchair sprints,

cycling races and archery demonstrations

 

WHAT:           U.S. Paralympic athletes will take to the field at the New Britain Rock Cats' double-header on Tuesday, June 29 at New Britain Stadium for "the Power of Ability Night" presented by The Hartford, the founding sponsor of U.S. Paralympics. During the break between the two games, U.S. Paralympic amputee cyclists Sam Kavanagh and Ron Williams will race their bikes around the field. This match pits student Kavanagh against his mentor. Wheelchair racers Paul Nitz and Cheri Blauwet will face off in a sprint. While both are gold medalists, he's earned his hardware in sprints and hers in marathons. Paralympic archer Kevin Stone will shoot arrows at a target set up near second base on the field.

 

HOW:              Tickets to the Rock Cats game on the Power of Ability Night presented by The Hartford can be purchased online at the Rock Cats' website.

 

WHEN:           The first game in the double-header kicks off at 5:05 p.m.  The Paralympic athletes will take to the field between games on Tuesday, June 29 at approximately 7 p.m.

 

WHERE:         New Britain Stadium, 230 John Karbonic Way, New Britain

 

WHO:             Five U.S. Paralympic athletes who are among the best in their sport:

§  Blauwet is a medical student at Stanford University in California and a Paralympic Gold Medalist in wheelchair racing. She has also won a number of marathons, including the 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2008 Los Angeles Marathon, 2004 and 2005 Boston Marathons, and the New York Marathon in 2003 and 2004.

§  Nitz of Bloomfield, Conn., has earned gold medals at the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney, the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics, and the 1992 Barcelona Paralympic Games.

§  Kavanagh -

§  Stone - A retired US Army NCO, he won his first medal at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens. At the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, he set two new U.S. records in the initial qualification rounds.

§  Williams - At the 2008 Paralymipc Games in Beijing, China, Ron finished fifth in the Time Trial and 25^th in the Road Race. At the 2004 Summer Paralympic Games in Athens, Ron won two medals; a bronze in the Men's In

 

The Rock Cats are the Double A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, the 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2009 A.L. Central Champions. During the 2009 season, 374,773 fans came through the gates at New Britain Stadium, setting a new franchise attendance record.  The Rock Cats season average attendance was 5,556 fans per game. The Rock Cats have the longest tenure in professional sports in the state of Connecticut. For more information, visit www.rockcats.com.

 

WHY:             The Hartford and the New Britain Rock Cats hope to raise awareness about Paralympic sports and dispel misconceptions about people with disabilities at Tuesday's event. Five U.S. Paralympians who will be featured at the June 29 Rock Cats game embody The Hartford's Ability Philosophy - a focus on abilities, not limitations. The Hartford is the founding sponsor of U.S. Paralympics, the division of U.S. Olympic Committee dedicated to recruiting and training elite athletes with physical disabilities.

 

CONTACTS:  Kelly Carter, The Hartford, 860-843-9420 (office) 860-460-0645 (cell)

                        Bob Dowling, New Britain Rock Cats, 860-224-8383 ext. 31 (office)