Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Packer Plus
Everybody wins in annual softball game
Appleton — Gray skies and a Saturday morning downpour were no match for attendees of the Green & Gold Charity Softball game. Your average Packers fan isn’t afraid of a little rain.
Despite the damp weather slightly delaying earlier events like the sponsor softball game and Home Run Derby, the Green & Gold game started on time at noon at the Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium.
“It looks like we’re going to have a really nice day once we get to game time,” Timber Rattlers President Rob Zerjav said before the main event. Zerjav estimated that as many as 4,000 tickets had been sold prior to the game, and hoped turnout would be good despite the weather — and it was.
Proceeds from the Green & Gold Charity Softball Game go to Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, Make-AWish Wisconsin and various youth sports organizations.
Packers wide receiver Davante Adams, captain of the offensive side, which won the game 16-8, said the Green & Gold game is an easy way to “put some money into the bucket” and contribute to Feeding America.
“It’s a big thing in my life to give back to the community,” Adams said. “Another big thing is being able to interact with the fans.”
Defensive team captain and Packers linebacker Blake Martinez has a personal connection to one of the organizations the game supports. His childhood best friend, who was a Make-A-Wish recipient, passed away from bone marrow cancer in the ninth grade.
“(Make-A-Wish) is one of the things that I hold near and dear to me and anything I could do to help out in any way, I’ll find a way to do it,” Martinez said.
The high-scoring offensive team featured Adams, who played alongside teammates David Bakhtiari, Jace Sternberger, Jamaal Williams, Geronimo Allison, Aaron Jones, Robert Tonyan (the event’s defending Home Run Derby champion), Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Jake Kumerow and Aaron Rodgers.
“We’ve got some heavy hitters,” Adams said before the game. “I’m looking forward to taking the title back.”
When asked about his expectations for Rodgers’ performance, Adams said, “He genuinely can knock some out the park, so that’s another heavy hitter we’ve got.”
The defensive squad included Martinez, Jaire Alexander, Oren Burks, Josh Jackson, Dean Lowry, Preston Smith, Za’Darius Smith, Adrian Amos, Kevin King and Kyler Fackrell.
Martinez said the opposing team’s Tonyan was probably the best softball player on the field. Despite Tonyan being on the offensive side, Martinez said he’s always “giving shout outs to guys who deserve it.”
“I’m sorry guys I let you all down,” Martinez said after the game. “We had to give them some confidence.”
Despite recently tearing his Achilles while playing basketball, Packers coach Matt LaFleur threw out the game’s first pitch. Prior to the game, both Martinez and Adams said they didn’t expect their coach’s injury to hold him back.
Adams said the charity game was just one of many ways the team is building relationships with new players and coaches — even if a little friendly trash talk is involved.
“We’ve got a lot of new guys, new coaches, a lot of stuff going on, so we’re all trying to get on the same page,” Adams said. “One of the best ways is doing stuff away from the (football) field.”
Michael Terrien came prepared for his first Green & Gold Charity Softball Game clad in a Packers-printed rain poncho and Cheesehead. The Packers fan had been wanting to come for years, but hadn’t been able to — until Saturday. He said he was excited to see the team’s new players and coaches in action.
“(I came) not only just to see the players, it’s also for a good cause,” Terrien said. “Even if it got rained out and they didn’t play, the money still goes to charity.”
This was Keith Bowers 12th year as an usher for the Green & Gold Charity Softball Game. For him, the game comes second to helping the fans.
Bowers said the smaller crowd at this year’s game made it a bit more manageable. The weather, however, was not.
Venue staff member Greg Hanson said, while the event experienced some early delays because of the rain, there was still a lot of excitement to see the Packers play. Adams, for one, decided to make the best of things.
“I know it’s raining today, it’s not the best weather,” he said. “It is June but I don’t think Wisconsin is aware of that so we’re just trying to get through it and have a good time.”