Radio personality Juliet Papa, of WINS Radio NYC, announced the coin-toss to begin the game. Lupica called 'heads' while the coin was airborne - a deft choice that gave the Writers first-at-bat.

East Hampton - The 60th annual Artists and Writers softball game took place at the Reutershan Ball Field in East Hampton on Saturday, Aug. 16, in honor of the late actor, producer and softball ringer Roy Scheider as well as the Gold-Star Mothers and Fathers.

The Artists won for the second consecutive year, by a score of 4-2, against the prediction of Leif Hope, organizer of the game, who acted as captain of the Artists. Hope estimated that the writers would win "two out of every three games, three out of five at least."

"This is a 60-year rivalry," East Hampton Village Mayor Paul Rickenbach commented. "The games get intense, guys walk off with a limp or sprain," he said with a grimace while pretending to rotate an achy shoulder.

Around 2,000 people attended, according to Juliet Papa, who gave voice to the game's play-by-play. Between voluntary donations and the previous evening's silent auction benefit, the softball game garnered over $90,000 to be split evenly between East End Hospice, East Hampton Day Care and the East Hampton branch of Phoenix House Academy, which acts as a substance abuse clinic and high school to 32 local students battling addiction.

Hope watches two young local boys throw the first pitch back and forth while Chevy Chase spends some time with the press.

Editor-in-Chief of U.S. News and World Report, Mort Zuckerman, long-time pitcher for the Writers, slings a strike from the mound.

Rickenbach and Papa welcomed the three charities supported by the game while the Gold-Star Mothers and Fathers of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan filed onto the field to join them. Congressman Tim Bishop introduced the families one at a time to a crowd cheering in strong support.

Papa was joined at the announcing table by the outrageous personality of boxing historian and author Burt Sugar. The charity softball game proved for Sugar that, "whether you're rich or poor, it's always good to have money."

The Writers were led by sports columnist and commentator Mike Lupica, an East Hampton native playing second base and lead-off hitter, and editor/publisher Mort Zuckerman as pitcher. "Mort usually shows up like Manny Ramirez," Lupica, an outspoken Yankees fan, chided, "twenty minutes late."

Zuckerman arrived in time for opening ceremonies and after the Writers won the coin toss, the Artists took the field while Lupica prepared himself at home plate. Dan Rattiner stood in as umpire in his spot behind the pitcher's mound.

The Artists were joined by 1st District Congressman Tim Bishop and actor Chevy Chase, slugging the slow lobs into the clear August sky, delivering the Artists another coveted victory. And the rivalry continues in Schneider's memory, with friendly threats and jeers gearing up for next year's game.

The Writers, led by Mike Lupica (center, kneeling), failed to unseat the defending champions.

The Artists won their second consecutive victory, 4-2, at this year's softball game.