After hearing Boston Red Sox center fielder Gabe Kapler address 200 students at Durfee High School gymnasium on May 10, 2006, on the impact of domestic violence, members of the Royals of the Southeastern Massachusetts Baseball League stepped to the podium, one-by-one, to sign an anti-domestic violence pledge. Sponsored by the Katie Brown Educational Foundation, the event helped to focus responsibility for changing the culture that supports violence against women directly on young men who too frequently give silent or vocal approval to this kind of behavior. Speaking about his own upbringing, Kapler said that "the last word you could use in my house is any derogatory term for a woman." But even that, Kapler admitted, didn't stop him from remaining silent when his wife was involved in an abusive relationship with a former boyfriend in high school. "I should have said something, and I didn't," he stated. Kapler now heads a family run, non-profit foundation dedicated to stopping domestic violence. Kapler was invited by Dr. Jay Schachne who created the Katie Brown Educational Foundation to educate young people about relationship violence. Click here to read the Herald News article about the event.
 

(Top row) Boston Red Sox center center fielder addressed several hundred Durfee High School students in Keeley Gymnasium. (Middle row) As Dr. Jay Schachne looks on, Royals team captain Ronnie Falcon is the first team member to sign the pledge that states "We, the members of the Fall River Royals Baseball Organization, hereby pledge to never support, commit or remain silent about relationship violence. We pledge ourselves to create safe, respectful relationships with our loved ones." (Bottom row) Dr. Schachne poses with Gabe and members of the team who were then interviewed by Fall River Spirit editor Rick Snizek.