Berkley Baseball Bringing Back Cancer Benefit Game

The varsity baseball team is hoping to throw a strike against cancer Friday night by bringing back its Cancer Benefit Game Night.

After a year off, Bears second-year coach Jordan Gruppen and the team wanted to bring back the annual charity game started by former coach Jim Ellis.

“We are continuing the tradition here at Berkley High,” Gruppen said. “Coach Ellis ran it for a couple years. When I took over last year we didn't have one and we decided to bring it back this year. We do it each year in girls basketball also.”

This year’s game will be played at  against Troy, coach Ellis’ current team, at 7 p.m. It will be a nonleague game for the teams.

Berkley will be wearing pink uniforms for breast cancer awareness and the Colts will be wearing light blue for prostate cancer. Almost all of the jerseys will have names on the back of someone who has been diagnosed, beat or may have passed away from cancer.

“The players are working hard on getting people to attend,” Gruppen said. “They helped put up signs around the school and the community.” They even created a Facebook page for the event and invited more than 500 people.

There is going to be a 50/50 raffle, auctions and other prizes with proceeds going to the Beaumont Cancer Sharing & Caring program.

For the raffle, prizes include a basket of various Michigan State items, 10 yard cleanup and cuts, Detroit Tigers basket, Detroit Tigers tickets, MSU basketball coach Tom Izzo signed memorabilia and a "Ming" chair from Arhaus Furniture at Somerset Collection. 

“It really should be a special night under the lights watching some good baseball, coming together as a community,” Gruppen said. “Even if you have nothing to donate come join the community!”

How to help

If you would like to donate items or money, contact Berkley varsity baseball coach Jordan Gruppen at jgruppen07@yahoo.com.