Rural Towns with Big Hearts Greet Team BOB
We just finished Day 2 – 65.4 miles from Atlantic (Iowa’s Coca-Cola capital) to Carroll, Iowa. When we pulled into a city of 10,000 people with a volume of riders and support vehicles that make up RAGBRAI, I thought it would once again overwhelm this city. But Carroll showed its worth – in how they welcomed the ride (with families lining the streets applauding each biker), offered their homes and lawns to riders to sleep overnight, and provided anything it took. Their excitement for being part of RAGBRAI was palpable, and their appreciation was so sincere. Bikers in Kimballton The ride was...
Read MoreTeam BOB Starts Their 454 Mile Journey
With the past week’s reports from the Midwest describing intolerable temperatures and humidity, we had trepidation about the start of this year’s RAGBRAI ride. Luckily, the weather cooled last night (a blessing) and off we went – a 454 mile journey across the state of Iowa to raise money for America’s great pastime: baseball. If you missed my note last week, Team BOB is a group organized by my 16-year-old son, Robert Hellman III. Robert created Team BOB as a fundraiser for Build Our Ballpark, an organization founded by his grandfather, dedicated to providing today’s youth with baseball and...
Read MoreTeam BOB to Raise Funds for More Ballparks
The Build Our Ballpark Board of Directors and staff are thrilled to announce that Team BOB will again be riding RAGBRAI to raise funds for our nonprofit organization building baseball/softball parks throughout America. Eight cyclists from across the United States will ride 454 miles across the great state of Iowa. As the cyclists come together for this historic ride, they will capture a glimpse of Iowa life and how the Midwest is keeping the spirit of baseball alive in the local communities. Along the route they plan to visit area baseball and softball fields, chat with Iowa youth about...
Read MoreAnother Round, An Even Bigger Goal
Last year’s RAGBRAI fundraising ride for Build Our Ballpark was so successful (and fun) that we decided to do it again (clearly fun has a broad definition here, we’ll admit). So on July 24th, our eight member team will begin a seven-day, 454-mile bicycle ride across the state of Iowa. While we join the thousands of cyclists who ride for the great food, themed atmospheres and adrenaline rush, we have a different drive that we add to this historic bike ride… pedaling to raise money for America’s Great Pastime: Baseball. Last year’s intrepid riders. We will comprise Team BOB, a group organized...
Read MoreA Lifelong Love Affair With Baseball
I’ve loved the game of baseball since I was a kid – it’s in my blood – a summertime game that has chronicled my youth and become a passion as I’ve grown older. I’ve played the game, and I’ve studied the game from almost every angle – It’s stars, stats and scandals, and in spite of the many attempts by the “gods of the game” to kill their creation, I’ve never lost the love. So what was the spark that ignited this love affair? I suspect it was the time I grew up – an era when Baseball ruled American sports. Our East Side neighborhood had two spacious,...
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