PUEBLO, Colo. – The credit unions did it. They beat a group ofColorado banks in a charity baseball game, 19-13. Not unexpected,the bankers immediately complained about “foul play” – specificallythe use of a handful of CU employee spouses who performed somebatting heroics. “The credit unions won by bringing in their ownbrand of ringers” charged Susan Fuller, marketing officer at PuebloBank & Trust Co. Fuller and her boss, Susan Baughman, marketingdirector, helped coordinate the bank/CU teams after a local radiopersonality suggested the idea of a first-of-its-kind CU vs. Banksball game to raise funds for Katrina evacuees. “We were pretty darngood,” boasted Jennifer Olmstead, marketing director at MinnequaWorks CU, one of four CUs which fielded players for the Oct. 13evening game which raised $3,000 to aid 100 displaced Katrinafamilies. Decrying with a laugh the whining from bankers, Olmsteadsaid the pre-game rules were clear that employees or spouses couldplay. And besides, the banking contingent representing seven areabanks had recruited one semi-pro player plus a college kid on abaseball scholarship who were employees. “I must say it was alllots of fun and we agreed to do it again next year but with adifferent charity,” said Olmstead. A pre-game morning radio show onthe day of the game broadcast interviews with both bank and CUreps. who bantered about who would win. Ryan Ito, marketingrepresentative at Decibel CU, had bragged to Pueblo listeners theCUs intended to “wipe the floor” with bankers. Olmstead said theonly disappointment was the low 250 turnout at Runyon Field SportsComplex. Apparently, there was a conflict with a Colorado LeagueChapter meeting plus one CU had held a board meeting that day.Coach of the CU team was Carl Lytle, a CU collections manager. Mostof the players were from the marketing and loan departments with ahandful of bank and CU CEOs in the stands. -

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