Wednesday, June 18, 1997

Homerun shot nets player zip

By AL PICKETT/ Abilene Reporter-News

HARLINGEN - Abilene Prairie Dogs outfielder Brian Benner could have been $5,000 richer if he had been wearing a different uniform Sunday night.

Benner, a 21-year-old first-year player from Mission Viejo, Calif., belted a three-run homer in the seventh inning Sunday that miraculously sailed through a two-foot hole in a Southwestern Bell sign behind the left-field wall at Harlingen Field during the Dogs' 11-8 win over the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings.

"We've had this promotion all four years the WhiteWings have been here," said Ana Borchardt, a spokesman for Rio Grande Valley Southwestern Bell Wireless. "The billboard has a picture of a cell phone with a hole in it.

"Through a policy we had with an insurance company, if a Rio Grande Valley WhiteWing hit a ball through that hole Southwestern Bell Wireless would pay a $10,000 cash prize, $5,000 to the player and $5,000 donated to the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Valley. No one in the past four years has done it."

The insurance policy stated specifically that a WhiteWing had to hit it through the hole, so Borchardt said her company couldn't award him the $5,000.

"But we were excited about it, and we wanted to recognize him for it," she said. "That's pretty amazing."

So prior to Monday night's game, a representative from Southwestern Bell presented Benner with a free cellular telephone. Southwestern Bell Wireless in Abilene will also provide Benner with $100 of free air time and will waive the $45 activation fee.

"Too bad (about the money)," Benner said. "I'm sure they (the Boys and Girls Clubs) could use it. I know my car loan could use it. My dad has taken over my car payments right now, and I'm sure he would have been glad to hear that I won $5,000."