Former Cub hopes to draw stars to Hoffman golf outing

The economy has hit charities hard as fewer people have money to give, but the Hoffman Estates Park District hopes a little star power will help them out.

Former Cubs player Gene Hiser is helping the park district by inviting former athletes to play in its annual golf outing next month. So far, former Cubs Bill Campbell and Paul Popovich have committed, as well as Billy Pierce and Eric Soderholm from the White Sox. Hiser said he hopes to get 10 former pro athletes by the date of the outing, July 14.

Hiser spent five years, from 1971 to 1975, patrolling the outfield at Wrigley Field. He's also a longtime Hoffman Estates resident who's coached local youth baseball and soccer. He's friends with park board member Scott Triphahn, and the two have frequented the charity golf circuit.

"I always enjoy playing with Billy Pierce," Triphahn said. "He's the nicest guy."

Triphahn convinced Hiser, now a securities insurance broker, to join the park district's foundation, its fundraising arm, and hopes Hiser's experience with other charities will help. Hiser is on the board of the Chicago Baseball Cancer Charities and has worked with the group's own annual golf outing.

Hiser said other golf outings he's been associated with have recently seen drops in participation of between 30 to 50 percent. Some outings have also been delayed in hopes of drawing more participants by extending the registration deadline.

But he's not discouraged.

"Any dollars is better than no dollars, as the saying goes," Hiser said.

While it raised more than $10,000, Triphahn said last year's park district outing failed to draw as many golfers as park district officials hoped.

This year's park district outing also features a $50,000 hole-in-one shootout, sponsored by Jet Blue. Four participants will be chosen to vie for the prize.

The outing, in its 11th year, benefits the Hoffman Estates Park District Foundation, which hosts three or four large events a year. It will take place at the park district's Poplar Creek Country Club. Golfers can register for $125 by July 10 at heparks.org. The fee includes a cocktail hour, light lunch and dinner buffet.