19th annual baseball game inspiring event for local residents

(NECN) – Monday, August 13 is the 19th annual Oldtime baseball game.

The annual event brings out new prospects with Boston College players in old uniforms.

This year, the game will start with a very special player on first: Peter Frates of Beverly, Mass.

Frates played four seasons at Boston College before being diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease.

He is now the Eagles' director of baseball operations.

“Well, I’m just really happy to see Buckley invited me to come over and play. Unfortunately, I won’t be playing every inning like I would have in years past, but I’m very much looking forward to it as I describe myself as an old time kind of traditional baseball player and I get to wear the old uniforms and play the game the way it was originally meant to be played,” says Frates.

His dad, John, discusses dealing with his son’s diagnosis. Frates was diagnosed in March 2012 at 27 years old with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

“Pete is such an inspiration. He’s been so positive throughout this whole thing…what we’re trying to do is just get the word out there. If we can raise awareness somehow someway because they tell us it’s a great time to have the disease. I doubt that very much but Pete has been doing everything he can to keep the positivity flowing and just raise awareness so we can cure this.”

Frates will start at first and then be replaced in the lineup by incoming BC freshman Chris Shaw of Lexington, a local amateur league player the 27-year-old Frates scouted during the recruiting process.

The 19th annual Abbot Financial Management Oldtime baseball game will be played Monday night at 7 p.m. at Saint Peter's Field on Sherman Street in North Cambridge.

This year's game is being played as a benefit for the American Red Cross of eastern Massachusetts.