Sept. 15, 2006

BALTIMORE, MD - Bob Babb, the head coach of the Johns Hopkins University baseball team, announced today that a memorial service for Mike Durgala, a four-year member of the Blue Jay baseball team (2002-05) and an assistant coach with the team last year, will be held on Saturday, September 30. The service will be held at the Johns Hopkins Interfaith Center, which is located on Charles Street just across from the university tennis courts, and will begin promptly at 6 pm.

Babb has planned a full weekend of baseball festivities with an emphasis on honoring Durgala. He has incorporated the team's annual "Class Tournament" into the weekend as semifinal matchups on Friday between the seniors and sophomores and juniors and freshmen will be followed on Saturday morning by the consolation game (9:30 am) and championship game (11:30 am). The Class Tournament is an annual highlight of the team's fall schedule.

A post-tournament luncheon at the baseball field will be followed by an Old-Timers game at 3:30 pm that will be followed by the memorial service and dinner at the Elkridge Club. The cost to attend the dinner is $60 per person with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the "Mike Durgala Coaching Fund," which was established by Babb and many of Mike's close friends and family immediately after his tragic death.

The 2007 Johns Hopkins baseball team has dedicated the upcoming season to Durgala, who was killed in a car accident on August 3 while returning to Baltimore after serving as a counselor at a baseball camp at Gettysburg College. He intended to pursue a career in coaching and had worked numerous camps and clinics in addition to his responsibilities with the Blue Jay baseball program.

Anyone interested in participating in the Old-Timers game or attending the dinner should contact Babb immediately via email (rbabb@jhu.edu) or phone (410-516-7485).

Schedule of Events
Saturday, September 30, 2006

9:30 am - Class Tournament Consolation Game (JHU Baseball Field)
11:30 am - Class Tournament Championship Game (JHU Baseball Field)
1:00 pm - Johns Hopkins football vs. Dickinson (Homewood Field)
1:30 pm - Lunch for all friends and family - lunch provided (JHU Baseball Field)
2:30 pm - Batting practice for Old-Timers (JHU Baseball Field)
3:30 pm - Old-Timers Game (JHU Baseball Field)
6:00 pm - Memorial Service for Mike Durgala (JHU's Interfaith Center)
7:15 pm - Hors D'oeuvres and drinks (Elkridge Club)
8:00 pm - Dinner (Elkridge Club)

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