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Derrick Williams Celebrity Softball Game 2010 Derrick Williams Celebrity Softball Game 2010

Derrick Williams, wide receiver for the Detroit Lions will host his first ever celebrity softball game in Michigan to raise funds for his non-profit program “Mealz on D.Wheelz”.

Presented by Sam’s Club, and partnered with official media sponsor 97.1 The Ticket, this celebrity softball game will be held in Royal Oak at Memorial Field (13 Mile & Woodward) Saturday, June 12, 2010. At 3pm Derrick will host a Home Run Derby and at 3:30 it’s gametime!

Celebrities scheduled to participate and appear include Detroit Lions own, Derrick Williams, Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson, Kevin Smith, Bryant Johnson, Louis Delmas, Drew Stanton, Dennis Northcutt and Cliff Avril alongside all-pro’s Herman Moore and Lomas Brown.

Other celebrities include NFL Players 3x All Pro Lavar Arrington and Buffalo Bills Aaron Maybin. Terry Foster from the #1 sports talk show in Detroit 97.1 The Ticket will be playing along with WXYZ Channel 7’s Tom Leyden and Erin Nichole (also the Palace area hostess).

From the hit television show on NBC The Biggest Loser, winner, Helen Phillips and her daughter and contestant on the show Shannon Thomas will also grab a mitt and hit the field! Karen Buschemi, editor of Styleline Magazine and Miss Michigan 2010 Rima Fakash will also be playing with us this year!

Announcing the game will be the voice of MSU Men’s Basketball and President of the Detroit Sports Broadcasters, Will Tieman.

Tickets are only $10 and are available on www.neptix.com or at any Royal Oak Fire Department.

From this event and others held throughout the year, Derrick will be raising money to help provide lunches and food to various schools in Detroit throughout the 2010 NFL Football Season.

In an exclusive one-on-one interview with Derrick Williams today, we first chatted about the upcoming Celebrity Softball Game.

This event next week is the first time ever that you yourself have put something like this on. Why here, why now? “I just got drafted here and a lot of things about Detroit remind me of my hometown, Washington DC. And when I walk around the Boys and Girls Club, it seems everybody’s into football, into sports. So, I just wanted to give back. And hopefully I’ll be fortunate enough to give back to my hometown pretty soon.”

As you name is the headliner on this Event, what exactly is it that Derrick Williams will be doing that day? “What I’m gonna do is put together this celebrity softball game and be in the actual game. I’m trying to raise money for my charity, ‘Mealz on D. Wheelz.’ And what that does is provide meals for the public schools here in Detroit and gives back to the Boys and Girls Clubs around the area.”

And where did the name ‘Mealz on D. Wheelz’ originate? “It’s just a catchy little phrase. And ‘D. Wheelz’ is what they called me at college.”

And which celebrities can the fans expect to see there next week? “There’s gonna be a lot of my team mates, from what I know. Matt Stafford, Nate Burleson, he’s the new receiver that we just got. Jahvid Best, the running back that we just drafted. Lou Delmas, Kevin Smith, and a lot more. It should be a good turnout and I’m pretty sure other guys will just come up there to lend support to.”

How long does the game last for? “Six innings and then we’re gonna have a Home Run Derby for thirty minutes. Some people don’t want to play in the game so they’ll play in the just the Home Run Derby.”

And tell me more about Jersey’s Off Our Backs that will happen after the game “A lot of the guys that are involved in the game they will have jersey’s with their name and number on it. And so with everybody that comes to the game having a numbered ticket, we’ll have a drawing and whoever they draw that’s the jersey that they will get signed.”

You signed a three year contract with the Lions on July 29th, 2009 - with that first year almost up have you accomplished most your goals thus far? “I’ve accomplished most of them. Just getting familiar with the team, getting familiar with all the plays, I feel more comfortable going into my second year than I did my first. Especially as a receiver. As a receiver you learn so much. So, it’s just getting better day by day.”

Are you still able to train pre-season with The Stable, currently located in Springdale, Maryland? “Yes, I am. The Stable is just a group of guys that I worked out with when I was younger. Guys like Madieu Williams (Minnesota Vikings) and some other guys from around the neighborhood. So, all of us just train in the summer time together. I‘ve done it every year since I was little.”

Why is it the Lions have been stuck at the foot of the table for the past few years - what’s either been missing, and is now filled, or what is still missing to make this team a top of the table contender each year? “I think we got a lot of the pieces this year. We had sparks of it last year, but a lot of guys are back and forth with injuries. We never really had a full, healthy team. It was our first year all together with the new coaching staff. But now you can just feel the team getting better every day. The attitude around us is positive and I think that was the biggest thing missing - just the attitude of winning. I think this team has now developed that, everybody believes in each other from being around each other, and I think this year is going to be good.”

What do you think of playing the annual Thanksgiving Day game at home, instead of being with the family? “I’m a fan of it. The good thing is you come and play in front of all your fans, which are your family, and then you go home - and you’ve probably got your mom cooking at home. So, it’s just a late dinner, that’s all,” he laughs.

If you could sum yourself up in five words, what would they be? “Passionate, loving, kind, blessed and dedicated.”

Getting To Know Derrick:

What is your favorite food? - “Shrimp Fried Rice”

What is your favorite summer time drink? - “Bahama Breeze.”

What country has been you favorite to travel to - or which one are you looking forward to seeing? - "I want to go to Italy, because I’m very into fashion.”

What is you favorite moment thus far as a Detroit Lion? - “Just running out the tunnel that first time.”

What is your favorite movie? - “’Step Brothers,’ by far! It doesn’t matter how many times you watch it you just crack up laughing.”

Who is your favorite musician? - “Anthony Hamilton.”

www.Derrickwilliams.com

www.Dwheelz.com

www.detroitlions.com

www.detroitcitysports.com

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