Contact: Leeronnie Ogletree
Phone 863-618-6312
Email leeronnieogletreesr@yahoo.com
March 21, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW BOOK "MAJOR LEAGUE ADDICTION" REVEALING DETAILS OF CHILD SEX
ABUSE BY LATE FORMER BOSTON RED SOX CLUBHOUSE MANAGER SCHEDULED
FOR PUBLICATION IN APRIL
(Winter Haven, FL March 21, 2012) Child sex abuse survivor Leeronnie Ogletree announces publication of his autobiography MAJOR LEAGUE ADDICTION: A SURVIVORS JOURNEY (Ogletree Enterprizes, LLC, $25.00.) The book is available for pre-purchase on Amazon.com and will soon be available on Barnesandnoble.com, in addition to other outlets. The book is scheduled for release April 30.
In the book, Ogletree draws on his experiences during years of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of Boston Red Sox clubhouse manager Donald James Fitzpatrick, beginning in 1971 Fitzpatrick, enticed and sexually abused Ogletree, in addition to several other boys, over the course of two decades. The book uses Ogletree's experiences to raise awareness of child sexual abuse and the methods of abusers.
On September 10, 2011, several months before the allegations against Penn State University Assistant Football Coach Jerry Sandusky, Ogletree took a step to expand his efforts to educate society about the activities of child sex abusers. That day, Ogletree began a one-man protest at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Previously in 2011, Sugar Ray Leonard revealed his abuse by a “prominent Olympic boxing coach.” Sandusky's indictment and the firing of Syracuse University Assistant Coach Bernie Fine were pivotal events drawing attention to Ogletree's efforts. Also that year, Olympic Gymnastics coach Don Peters was kicked out of the Gymnastics Hall of Fame, had his coaching privileges revoked and banned from the sport by USA Gymnastics.
Leonard was inspired to free himself of the secret haunting him for decades after watching Todd Bridges on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Bridges revealed his own past childhood sexual abuse. For Ogletree, the unburdening began in 2003. While in treatment he was told he needed to “let go” of something he had been concealing in order to free himself from his addiction. Publication of a November 10, 2011 article by Jeff Passan entitled “From Another Era And Another Sport, A Sex Abuse Scandal Still Inflicting Pain Today,” provided Ogletree with nationwide media exposure for his cause. According to Ogletree, the article received over 1 million views in less than three days and continues attracting comments from readers with varying views of Ogletree and his story.
Unlike Fine and Sandusky, Fitzpatrick, affectionately known in the Red Sox clubhouse as
“Fitzy,” was arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced to a 10 year suspended sentence with 15 years of probation. For Ogletree it is a life sentence. “Sometimes, I'm not sure who I am,” he says. MAJOR LEAGUE ADDICTION is a vehicle for Ogletree to learn who he is by sharing his experience. It also provides a model for relinquishing the shame of child sexual abuse.
Leeronnie Ogletree was born in Winter Haven, Florida in 1963. As a child he began working in the clubhouse for the Boston Red Sox during spring training. After years of drug addiction and jail time for numerous offenses he is now sober and using his journey as a form of catharsis.
For more information or to schedule an interview contact:
Leeronnie Ogletree
Ogletree Enterprizes, LLC
Phone: 863-618-6312
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