New York Mets host Philadelphia Phillies in home opener
New York Mets players stand along the first base line during a moment of silence to remember Shannon Forde, a longtime member of the Mets staff who died from breast cancer earlier this year. 4/8/16 (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
OXON HILL, Md. -- Major League Baseball and its affiliates will auction memorabilia and experiences during the winter meetings to help fund Shannon Forde Field in Little Falls, New Jersey, in memory of the late New York Mets public relations executive.
MLB Advanced Media, the MLB Network and all 30 teams will participate in the auction, the commissioner's office said Sunday.
"Shannon Forde was part of our Mets family for 22 years," Mets COO Jeff Wilpon said in a statement. "She touched so many people during her time with us. We couldn't be happier that this year's auction will be dedicated to building 'Shannon Forde Field' in her hometown of Little Ferry. It's a most fitting way to honor her career and keep her memory alive."
The auction will run through 9 p.m. EST Thursday. Among the items are a pitching lesson with San Francisco's Johnny Cueto, a trip to next year's All-Star Game in Miami and meet-and-greet sessions with AL MVP Mike Trout, former NL MVP Dale Murphy and Hall of Famer Randy Johnson.
Renovations to the field will include dugouts with protective fencing and benches, perimeter fencing, bleachers, a backstop, a scoreboard and field signs.
Forde died in March at age 44 from breast cancer.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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