Microsoft Bets $25,000 That Al Leiter Can Hit a Home Run

Microsoft has a charity wager going with New York Mets pitcher Al Leiter, who accepted the company’s Baseball 2000 Home Run Challenge today: if the star pitcher hits one home run this season, Microsoft donates $25,000 to Leiter’s Landing, his own charity. Pitchers hitting home runs is rare enough that Microsoft’s money is fairly safe, so I will be rooting against their accountants all season.

Leiter’s Landing started in 1997 when Leiter began bringing inner-city kids out to Florida Marlins games. The charity has scaled up alongside his career, and it now brings over 500 kids to Mets games every year on top of direct financial contributions.

Leiter is also the cover athlete for Microsoft Baseball 2000, which packs in every Major League Baseball team, stadium, and player, with 1999 rosters, current stats and ratings, and the right uniforms. Play-by-play comes from Fox Sports and Arizona Diamondbacks announcer Thom Brennaman, the action shows through multiple customizable camera views, and a free trial version is available for download.