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The Hat Club Cactus Challenge

Every year in Arizona, Danny Ainge's store, The Hat Club, sponsers a charity softball match to support Arizona Special Olympics. Phoenix Suns Coach Danny Ainge's "Danny's Destroyers" faced Arizona Cardinal's quarterback Jake Plummer's "Jake's Snakes."

The game is usually an autograph hound's dream, big name sports stars in a loose softball environment. Danny Ainge's team is usually made up of Phoenix Suns players, Major League Baseball players (he did after all play for the Blue Jays), and Steve Young. Jake Plummer's team this year was made up mostly of Cardinals' players and Arizona State football players, with a few Major League ballplayers mixed in.

Okay, well, Steve Young was reason enough to go, in Stacia's opinion anyway. We sat on the Jake's Snakes side of the field but mostly got to meet the members of the other team...


These are Suns' rookies Toby Bailey (left) and Gerald Brown (right) "in cognito" before the game began.


Here you can see Suns' rookie Pat Garrity signing an autograph with Diamondback's pitcher Andy Benes walking out of the dugout (left) and Andy Benes signing our ball (right).


NBA great Tom Chambers warms up the pitching arm (left) and Suns' center (former Bull's center)Luc Longley meets the crowd (right).


These are two pictures of Arizona Cardinal's defensive back Corey Chavous signing our football.


These are both pictures of Steve Young, quarterback for the San Fransisco 49ers. Note the untucked shirt (left), guess he didn't have help dressing for the game since Jerry Rice is in the offseason.


Stacia looking cute for the game in a sleevless zippered shirt and tight white short shorts... ooh la la!


Stacia gets up close with Tom Chambers, who stayed long after the rest of the players left to sign autographs.