On-air comments from WTIC 1080’s Bob Joyce on DCC Game Day in 2005.

To the kids of Stockdale Road in South Glastonbury in the 1980's and 1990's, playing some sort of sport with Danny Casey was the norm.  They did this as Danny fought Leukemia – diagnosed at 20 months of age.  He and his family went through many an ordeal as he grew, including a heart transplant that his body rejected, leading to his death in December of 1996 at the age of 20.

How close to it were his friends?  That winter, they got together to play some street hockey and share Danny Casey stories.  In later years when the Pond Pasture was frozen, they laced up the skates and then one by one would toss their sticks into the center of a circle and continue those stories.

With the help of Danny's best friend, Anders Peterson, a Wesleyan graduate, they moved the game indoors to the Wesleyan Arena and started to raise some money for the cause.  In 2001- $1000.  $2500 a year later.  Tonight is the 10th annual get-together in Middletown where the gang shoots to raise $10,000 that would go to the David B. Perini, Jr. Quality of Life Clinic at The Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Game time is 7:00 PM.  There is an auction online featuring an I-Pod, Sox Tickets, Bruins Tickets and a Wall Clock of Danny's Favorite Team, the WHALERS.

You can check out the website, (www.dannycaseyclassic.com) to see the items, get info on the game and read a wonderful, heartfelt commentary from the Courant's Jeff Jacobs from Christmas Day of 2003.

From what I’ve read about Danny and heard from a former colleague, Kevin Johnson, Danny sounded like a great kid.  He bled Whaler Blue & Green and was a huge Red Sox fan.  If you love watching sports in its purest form, just for the fun of it, stop by, make a donation and help this great cause. 

If you were a Whaler Fan, “Brass Bonanza” gets played after every goal and you may hear some classic Chuck Kaiton calls.  Enjoy the game.  Happy New Year!  With a Sports Commentary, I'm Bob Joyce.