Charity golf: Fire gets jump on Police
By Dick Goss dgoss@stmedianetwork.com June 13, 2012 7:42PM
Marc Reid, left, Joliet Police Officer, and Paul Purcell, Joliet fireman, chat while golfing during the annual fundraising event at inwood golf course in Joliet, IL on Wednesday June 13, 2012. | Matt Marton~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: July 15, 2012 3:23PM
The format was different and caused considerable discussion.
The bottom line, though, remains the same.
The Joliet Police and Joliet Fire staged Day 1 of their ninth annual charity golf matches Wednesday at Inwood, and both sides had a definite goal in mind.
In addition to beating their buddies in enemy shirts, they wanted to help raise enough money for the charities of their to send the nine-year total above the $80,000 mark.
“We’ve raised more than $72,000 going into this year,” Fire co-coach Terry Mangun said. “We hope to make it over $80,000 this year.”
Thursday’s final round at Woodruff, along with “Hamburger Night” cookout that begins at 5 p.m. at Moran A.C. and welcomes the public, will help determine whether the goal is met. The Police are playing for the Keith Rafacz Benefit Fund. Rafacz, an ATF agent, died of a rare cancer in April. The Fire is playing for Illinois Youth Burn Camps.
The competition this year is in bracket format, with seeds hopefully creating more competitive match-ups along the way. However, a series of “upsets” Wednesday morning scrambled things and resulted in more Police vs. Police and Fire vs. Fire match-ups than would have been ideal.
The golfers played two-man alternate shot in the morning round and two-man scramble in the afternoon. Thursday’s finale is a 4-ball event.
The Fire, perenially dominant, leads 22-10 in points after Day 1, and with the guaranteed points coming Thursday because of Fire vs. Fire match-ups, the team outcome is not in doubt.
“Eddie (Kolenc, a Fire co-coach) is like (basketball coach Mike) Krzyzewski over there with his dream team, and we’re like the ’80 Olympic hockey team trying to pull off a miracle,” said Rick Raasch, Police co-coach with Rick Chizmark.
The Police were missing Bob Kirwin, who is on vacation, and Bob Miller, who is undergoing treatment for cancer discovered about two weeks ago.
“They would have been our top two, and it slid guys up on the seeds,” Raasch said.
“Eddie is like Krzyzewski. All he has to do is roll the ball out there and they play.”
Raasch and his partner, Chief Mike Trafton, are in one of the 10-point matches Thursday against the Fire’s Brad North and Dave Chizmark. The other 10-pointer pits two Fire teams, Cory Brenczewski-Paul Purcell against Chris Stein-John Stachelski.
Six points are at stake when the Fire’s Mike Bessette and Doug Fredericks meet the Police’s Rick Trafton-Mark Reid. The Police are guaranteed six points in the Joe Egizio-Scott Nicodemus vs. Pat Schumacher-Jim Allison match.
For five points, the Police’s Pat Kerr-Jim Klancher will battle the Fire’s Joe Krupa-Matt Hornbuckle. The other five-pointer is all Fire as Fred Offerman-Mark Blackburn face Bill Tatro-Dan Dan Smith.
Other participants who also will play Thursday are Chuck Skeldon and Leon Trimmer for the Fire and Kevin LaBolle, Ryan Smith, Francis Ruettiger, Jeremy Harrison, Dwayne Killian and John Nosal for the Police.
Mangun said 15 retirees, the largest number ever, also will play at Woodruff, teeing off just in front of the tournament matches.
“We have so many firemen who are looking to play in this that we don’t have room for them all,” Mangun said. “And it’s nice to see all the retired guys who like to play, too.”
