2
2011
R.A. Dickey To Climb Mount Kilimanjaro
An article by 
According to ESPN New York, R.A. Dickey plans to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro for charity this January. The 37-year old knuckleballer plans to make the trek despite the uneasy reaction from the Mets, who would have grounds to void his contract should he get injured on the 19,000 mile journey to Uhuru Peak.
“Yeah. I’m a grown man, and I can do what I want to do,” Dickey said in an interview with New York Magazine. “But at the same time, let’s say I slip, fall, break my leg, and can’t pitch for two months. Legally, they have the authority to void my contract.
“They’re not saying that they would exercise that right, but they wanted me to be informed. Although, on paper, the climb seems like a fantastic thing to get behind, it’s been tough. They view it as a dangerous thing. Of course, it’s a risk I’m willing to take. I know what I’m doing well enough to know it’s nothing more than a glorified hike. There are no technical climbing skills involved — it’s not like Everest or K-2 or Fuji. So I’m not real worried about it.”
Dickey will make the climb for The Red Light District Outreach Mumbai, an organization that helps to prevent human trafficking in the Indian region. Accompanying Dickey will be Minnesota Twins hurler Kevin Slowey and Mets bullpen catcher Dave Racaniello.
On one side note, no, Dickey will unfortunately not be attempting to throw a pitch to his bullpen catcher at the summit.
To read more about this story, you can see more at ESPN Here.
About the Author: Clayton Collier
Clayton, a Long Island native and die-hard Mets fan, started writing online about three years ago. He is currently a Journalism major with a minor in Broadcasting at Seton Hall University. Although very disappointed with the current state of the team, Clayton remains hopeful that the young prospects in the farm system will bring the Mets back to a respected franchise in baseball once again. Besides writing for MMO, Clayton is also a staff member at 89.5 WSOU, Seton Hall's modern active rock radio station. You can contact Clayton by following him on Twitter: @Clayton_Collier or E-mailing him at MaybeNextYearMets@yahoo.com
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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Dumb thing to do R.A.
It’s not worth it because you have to think of the rest of your team as well. They’re counting on you too
You clearly didn’t see Zdeno Chara of the NHL’s special on his climb.
It’s not worth it because he has to think of his team too? Bayonne did you not read this? “Dickey will make the climb for The Red Light District Outreach Mumbai, an organization that helps to prevent human trafficking in the Indian region.”
Dumb thing to do is to comment on a man achieving something and doing it for a charity and calling it dumb.
Pitching for a sub .500 team > helping to end human rights abuses
Once you fulfill your contract with me you can put your body in all the danger your heart desires.
But if you’re under contract with me that’s not happening.
That’s right, pitching for a professional baseball team is FAR more important than human rights.
In the real world, if i’m the GM and I’m paying you MILLIONS of real dollars YOU BET YOUR LIFE IT IS!!!!!!
There’s a million more ways to dedicate your time and money to helping others without putting our body at risk. And I dont’ think that’s asking for too much of your employee
So you know what you can do with that self-appointed halo of yours. You don’t know what people do.
Is he taking time from the baseball season to do this? What is his job in January exactly? What about the other players in the organization? What if they get in a car and drive somewhere? Isn’t that a danger to their health? What if they have a pilot’s license and take a private plane out? Dangerous no?
He’s doing something not many people ever have the balls to do, and he’s doing it for charity and you get to sit on your couch and judge him for doing it?
“Once you fulfill your contract with me you can put your body in all the danger your heart desires. But if you’re under contract with me that’s not happening.”
Bayonne Mets Fan everybody. That sums it up quite nicely.
If the Mets FO doesn’t have a problem with it, neither should the fans.
It’s a game for us fans. We have no financial stake in this team at all.
Reminds me of the Philly fans that were all over Hamels when his wife dared to get pregnant during a time that guaranteed he’d have to miss time during the post season. Got through 4-5 innings and left that start as his wife was in labor.
Or some Met fans getting on Bay for missing 3 days while his wife gave birth. Some had the audacity to say ‘not like it’s his first kid or anything. he doesn’t have to be there’.
Jeeze…..
I love this. I may be wrong but Dickey seems to be the kinda guy I would be ok with my son looking at as a role model. For that matter I can get inspeiration from the man lol. If the exerpt is correct and the climb is not very technical then I say go for it man it’s no more dangerous then taking a Taxi.
I agree with you on all counts but business is business. If I’m the GM and I am paying you millions of dollars I am calling you up and telling you you are NOT climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. This is where i agree with Alderson that if Dickey hurts himself or gets killed God forbid..business is still business and the contract is voided.
It’s just not worth it.
If he got hurt and they voided his contract I would not disagree with their call. Like you said buisness is buisness. For his part If I weighed the risk and decided it was worth it then I’d do it.
“On one side note, no, Dickey will unfortunately not be attempting to throw a pitch to his bullpen catcher at the summit”
Damn.
R.A. Dickey has been one of the few bright spots for the team these last two seasons. He has come from nowhere to be our most reliable starter and a stand up guy at the same time in many ways. While he may be taking a chance in attempting a trek like this…it is his business as long as he understands the consequences should he get hurt. The trek itself is one of a humanitarian nature and Dickey is that kind of a guy….
My only question is why do other commentators need to make stupid remarks about this?
R.A. Dickey is actually going to helping the organization by the name of Bombay Teen Challenge. This organization helps women get out of the Red Light District and into vocational business. The organization is trying to build a medical clinic within the Red Light District next to the brothels so that they have a place to go to get medicine. R.A. Dickey is trying to help by helping raise $100,000 towards this cause.
Here is a youtube link to the video that helps support this cause. He has also posted this link on his twitter account. Help him out by joining the cause and sharing this link!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw8fc_wuuYw&feature=youtu.be