2012 Tournament

University of Miami – 2012 Neurosurgery Charity Softball Tournament Champions!

This year’s competing Departments of Neurosurgery included Columbia University Medical Center/New York Presbyterian I, Columbia University Medical Center/New York Presbyterian II, Weill Cornell Medical College/Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York University, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Penn, Harvard University, Thomas Jefferson University, Dartmouth College, Penn State, Johns Hopkins University, The University of Alabama, Emory University, University of Florida, Duke University, University of Miami, Barrow Neurological Institute, University of Pittsburgh, The University of Utah, University of Toronto, Northwestern University, University of Colorado-Boulder, Vanderbilt University, Mayo Clinic, The George Washington University, University of South Florida and The Ohio State University.Twenty-eight teams of neurosurgeons from top medical institutions competed on June 9 in New York City’s Central Park as part of the 9th Annual Neurosurgery Charity Softball Tournament. Endorsed by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and hosted by Columbia University, the event benefited brain tumor research via the AANS’ Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation (NREF).

The playoff field included Thomas Jefferson University*, Johns Hopkins University, Barrow Neurological Institute*, Mayo Clinic, The University of Alabama*, Emory University, Columbia University I*, University of Colorado-Boulder, University of Pittsburgh*, University of Florida, Duke University*, University of South Florida*, The Ohio State State University and University of Miami*. (*Signifies Elite Eight.) The final four teams were Barrow Neurological Institute, The University of Alabama, University of Pittsburgh and University of Miami. The University of Miami claimed its first championship by beating Barrow Neurological Institute, 5-4, in the finals. Seth Hayes, MD, of the University of Miami was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

Sponsorship was strong this year. While the NREF and Columbia still are tallying final funds raised for the event, “The event was a success again this year, securing much-needed support for brain tumor research,” according to tournament founder and organizer Ricardo Komotar, MD, of the University of Miami.

For the ninth consecutive year, the Steinbrenner family and the New York Yankees sponsored the tournament. The event also was supported by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who declared the date “Neurosurgery Charity Softball Tournament Day” in the New York. A post-tournament reception was held at the Empire Rooftop and sponsored by Brainlab, Stryker, Medtronic, Integra, Aloka, Osteomed, and Baxter.

View images from the 2011 Tournament here! (http://2011neurosurgerysoftballbenefit.shutterfly.com/1767)

Planning already has begun for the 10th Annual Neurosurgery Charity Softball Tournament, with the potential to expand the field of 30-plus teams from across the U.S. and Canada.