KJCT8.com - Grand Junction, Montrose - Weather, News, Sports | Firefighters play ball with former Rockies & Broncos
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BY SARA GOLDENBERG
SGOLDENBERG@KJCT8.COM
GRAND JUNCTION (KJCT)- It wasn't your ordinary softball game. Last night, family and friends of local firefighters and sports fans gathered at Suplizio Field to see the Grand Junction firefighters play softball with former Broncos and Rockies players.
Connor Basham cheered for the firefighters. "The big high throws, that's my favorite part," he said.
About 20 Grand Junction firefighters put on their cleets to play ball.
"This is great for the firefighters, for the community to come out and support us like they did, for the Broncos to come out and the Rockies alumni, we appreciate it a lot," said Grand Junction firefighter and event organizer Ethan Cloutier.
Cloutier says the turnout was excellent, and the stands were full. He says the firefighter team played with a lot of defense and excellent pitching. And it was all for a good cause.
"We donate it all to our charity fund and local 2808 firefighters. We do a lot throughout the year, toys for tots, MDA, all kinds of functions around town. We definitely put the money back in the community," said firefighter Derek Trombetta.
Former Broncos and Rockies were busy throughout the game signing autographs for fans.
"We just enjoy doing this, and it's just fun to get involved in communities I've never been involved in," said Steve Reed, a former Colorado Rockies player.
The Alumni Charity Softball Team travels all over Colorado and other Western states that don't have major league baseball teams.
"Kids are involved, adults have a good time, everyone has a good time. Usually it's for firefighters or policemen, it works out really great," said former major league baseball player Brian Fisher.
Fisher says the firefighters put up a good fight. The players say they enjoy coming to Grand Junction.
"Grand Junction is a great connection on the other side of the state for us in Denver. We've got great friends over here that we've had for years come over to the games," said former Denver Bronco Ron Egloff.
Egloff says many people in Western Colorado can't get to baseball games, or don't have season tickets, so they like to bring the game to them.
As for who won the game-- neither team will say. We know it was a close call... but they say the score wasn't the most important part of the game.
