The Manchester Monarchs, the top affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings, and the Monarchs Care Foundation, the organization’s charitable arm, on Monday hosted the eighth annual Ace Bailey Golf Classic at the Manchester Country Club in Bedford, N.H.
Proceeds from this year’s sold out event netted $30,000 to benefit the Ace Bailey Children’s Foundation, the Level II Special Care Nursery at The Mom’s Place, located at Catholic Medical Center (CMC), and the Monarchs Care Foundation. Over the last eight years, the Ace Bailey Golf Classic has raised $302,500 for charity.
The Level II Special Care Nursery provides an environment for parents to learn how to care for at risk babies who are in need of additional medical attention before leaving the hospital. The nursery has received $143,000 from the annual golf tournament.
The Monarchs Care Foundation annually partners with the Ace Bailey Children’s Foundation and CMC to celebrate the life of Garnet "Ace" Bailey and to raise funds for a worthy cause in his name. Bailey, known for his love of kids and his fun-loving attitude, served as the Kings Director of Pro Scouting until his death on September 11, 2001. Bailey was a passenger aboard United Flight 175 and was lost in the tragic events of that day.
The foursome from IKON (John Fraitzl, Joe Capitummino, Danny Brown and Griffin Brown) and Dartmouth University head coach Bob Gaudet were declared winners of the event as they shot a 128 in the 18-hole bramble tournament.
The Ace Bailey Golf Classic annually brings together an outstanding collection of men and women who have distinguished themselves in the sport of hockey. In addition to Gaudet, this year’s list of hockey celebrities included Monarchs president Jeff Eisenberg, Monarchs director of hockey operations Hubie McDonough, Monarchs head coach Mark Morris, former Monarchs head coach and the head coach of the Washington Capitals Bruce Boudreau and former Monarchs assistant coach Bobby Jay.
Former Monarchs players Derek Bekar (2001-03), Brendan Buckley (2006-07), Sam Ftorek (2003-04), Jeff Giuliano (2002-08), Eric Healey (2001-02) and Doug Nolan (2002-07) also participated in this year’s tournament, along with former Olympian Tara Mounsey, who was a member of the USA women’s hockey team that earned the gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, and the silver medal in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
Rounding out the field of celebrities were former hockey greats Bob Beers, Andy Brickley, Gordie Clark, Steve Kasper and Don Marcotte, former Boston Bruins center Mark Mowers, Pinkerton Academy head coach Casey Kesselring and Bruins rinkside reporter for NESN Naoko Funayama.
