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Artists & Writers Charity Softball Game: Where the Hamptons Comes to Play
Christie Brinkley threw the first pitch, Katie Couric stepped up to bat and artists, writers and celebrities took the field at Herrick Park for East Hampton’s annual summer showdown.
There are plenty of ways to spend a Saturday in August, but there’s still nothing quite like the Artists & Writers Charity Softball Game at Herrick Park in East Hampton.
The annual game took place Saturday, Aug. 15, with beloved Hamptonite Christie Brinkley, playing on the Artists team, throwing out the first pitch.
For the 78th year, the game brought together the East End’s most glorious collection of artists, writers, celebrities, locals and longtime summer regulars in East Hampton for a little softball, a lot of heckling and a very good cause.
“Let’s go, Katie,” cheered the Writers from the dugout as Katie Couric stepped up to bat.
Her fellow Writers and longtime A&W softball players, including Ken Auletta, Carl Bernstein and Mike Lupica, each enthusiastically came up to the plate. But the Writers really took an early lead after comedian and writer Ted Jones hit a home run.
“Come on now, let’s step it up,” said architect Ronnette Riley from the Artists dugout. The Artists, including William Quigley and comedians Pete Cestaro and Olga Namer, tried to get some runs.
“Get it together, we can do this!” coached actor Judy Scheer while clapping her hands.
Despite all the “intense” competition, it’s not exactly a high-stakes ballgame. And that’s the point.
The players include people who actually know what they’re doing, people who think they know what they’re doing and a few who appear to have wandered onto the field from Main Street.
And then there’s the crowd: families and friends catching up, longtime East Hampton characters, curious visitors and plenty of people who seem to know at least half the players by name.
Hot dogs and ice cream are part of the deal, along with the annual opportunity to see people who spend most of their days in galleries, newsrooms, studios and on Hollywood sets suddenly taking softball very seriously.
That competitive streak is part of the tradition. Last year, the Writers snapped a losing streak and won their first game since 2022. And this year, the Writers did it again, playing strong and beating the Artists 8-6.
But all the good-natured ribbing and super-fun afternoon aside, the real reason everyone keeps coming back is to help support the local community.
The game raises money for four East End organizations that do essential work in the community: Eleanor Whitmore Early Childhood Center, Phoenix House Academy, The Retreat and East End Hospice. Together, they support children and families, people struggling with addiction, survivors of domestic abuse and those facing end-of-life illness.
And for a place we all love, we come back year after year because we know that the community is stronger when everyone pitches in. See ya next August!
