Miami, FL – Miami Children’s Hospital had Billy the Marlin swimming through the halls of the Hospital yesterday much to the delight of some very big fans. Billy was joined by Marlin players John Baker, Brett Carroll and bull-pen catcher Jeff Urgelles.

John, Brett and Jeff all agreed that to bring smiles to kids that are in their pajamas in a hospital bed, was like scoring the winning run. The Marlins visited children throughout the Hospital and passed out all sorts of gifts to their fans.

“We are so thrilled that the guys took time to come and visit the children this morning,” says Harold Robaina, Executive Director of Miami Children's Hospital Foundation, “it is always a reward to see the smiles our visitors bring and we thank the Marlins for giving our kids really big ones.”

Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation is a not-for profit 501 (C) (3) established to create a world-class pediatric hospital so no child need leave South Florida for superior medical care.  “Funding World-Class Care” and following the principle that all children deserve state-of-the-art pediatric care with no financial boundaries, the Foundation helped 289-bed Miami Children’s Hospital become a leader in pediatric healthcare with more than 40 subspecialties, the largest pediatric neurology center in the U.S., a top provider of cardiology and neonatology services, and a Research Institute conducting in excess of 150 clinical trials and protocols.

Miami Children’s Hospital is one of 170 pediatric hospitals in North America affiliated with Children’s Miracle Network and South Florida’s only freestanding Hospital dedicated exclusively to children.  To learn more about the Foundation and offer support, visit www.mchf.org, or call 305-666-2889 (toll free: 1-800-987-8701).
Florida Marlins, L.P. is a Major League Baseball franchise and is a member of the National League East Division. 

The Marlins are currently playing in their 17th Championship season. The Club was granted a franchise on July 5, 1991 and its first game and win came on April 5, 1993 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Marlins won their first of two World Series Championships on October 26, 1997, in the deciding game of a seven-game series over the Cleveland Indians.  At the time, the Marlins became the quickest expansion franchise ever to win a title in Major League Baseball history.  The Marlins won their second World Championship on October 25, 2003, in six games over the New York Yankees.

Florida Marlins, L.P. is owned by Jeffrey H. Loria who officially purchased the Club on February 16, 2002. Mr. Loria previously owned the Montreal Expos from December 1999 until his purchase of the Marlins.

About Miami Children's Hospital
Founded in 1950 by Variety Clubs International, Miami Children's Hospital® is South Florida’s only licensed specialty hospital exclusively for children, with more than 650 attending physicians and over 130 pediatric sub-specialists. The 289-bed hospital is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine with several specialty programs ranked among the best in the nation in 2008 and 2009 by U.S.News & World Report. The hospital is also home to the largest pediatric teaching program in the southeastern United States and has been designated an American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet facility, the nursing profession’s most prestigious institutional honor.