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In late January, winning the Buick Invitational golf tournament at Torrey Pines golf course in LaJolla, Calif., became a matter of when, not who, after Tiger Woods put on a clinic on the next-to-last day.

He hit 17 greens in regulation and carded an eight-shot lead.

Tiger’s torrid total made him readily apparent.

Hall of Famers
Early in January, on the same 18 holes, other sports luminaries were less apparent, but still winners—for the disabled community. That’s when the Lodge at Torrey Pines had a roster of baseball stars including Ken Griffey Jr., Ryan Howard, Chris Capuano, Kenny Lofton, Brian Fuentes, and Hall of Famers Frank Robinson, Dave Winfield, Ozzie Smith, Paul Molitor, and Eddie Murray.

They hit the links with representatives from the Major League Baseball Players Association, corporate sponsors, and invitees. They joined in the Players Trust Golf Tournament, a two-day event sponsored by 2K Sports and Upper Deck Co. to raise $200,000 for MLBA's charity, the Players Trust.

Altruism didn’t come to bat at first.

Donald Fehr, MLBPA's executive director, admits the trust teed off after the 1994-95 baseball strike as “an effort for players to do some things collectively." Translation: shoot for good PR to mollify fans embittered by the strike.

Sense of pride
Since then, the trust has helped in the Dominican Republic, where thousands of children are treated for parasites and disabilities from vitamin A deficiency. The trust donates to more than 120 charities each year, such as $70,000 to at-risk and disadvantaged children and youth and developmentally disabled adults in Cincinnati.

Houston Astros infielder and trust board member Mark Loretta believes "it’s a sense of pride for the players that we have put this charity together from scratch on our own. Players are really starting to get involved with several different programs, particularly the Action Team, which is in 16 cities. I think it has become a model nationwide and it's really starting to make an impact."

In Cincinnati, Griffey gets "to do all the public speaking. It's a lot of fun because you have some kids come in who are around the ages of 14-17 years old and they want to talk about public speaking and how nervous they are. I tell them, 'We're nervous, too. Go out there and say what you have to say.'"

Batting for others
Hall of Famers and veteran ballplayers recruit younger players to learn about the trust. "This was my first time really getting interactive with the Player's Trust," said Howard, 2006 National League Most Valuable Player, starting his fourth season with the Phillies. "I learned more of what the trust is about. It's about helping other people.”

Participants took part in a fund-raising auction of baseball and sports memorabilia, with proceeds going to the trust. Murray contributes in his own way:

He said he was able to save the “last 22 bats I used leading up to my 500th home run. I have no problem going home and signing one of those bats and sending it to the person who bid on it at the auction, because the money is going to the trust and the good work that it does."

In his wheelchair in Jacksonville, FL, Herb Drill heads Able Me & Associates. His e-mail address is herbdrill@ableme.com. He has Muscular Dystrophy.