Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers recently traded his hockey stick for a softball bat back in his native Massachusetts.
The occasion was the MayeDay Celebrity Softball Classic, named for New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and his wife Ann Michael Maye.
Celebrities with ties to the Boston area gathered on May 31 at Polar Park, home of the Boston Red Sox Triple-A affiliate in Worcester, Mass.
A sellout of 9,500 packed the stadium, helping to raise $174,000 for Boston’s Children Hospital and the MayeDay Family Foundation.
According to its website, the Foundation “provides children and families enduring hardship with the assistance and support needed to achieve a brighter future.”
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Beniers, a native of Hingham, Mass., wasn’t the only hockey player in attendance. Longtime Boston Bruins great Zdeno Chara, who at 6-foot-9 has quite the strike zone, was there. So was San Jose Sharks star Will Smith, who played one season at Boston College. Megan Keller and Jill Saulnier of the PWHL’s Boston Fleet were on hand, too.
Team Sox, of which Beniers was a member, was coached by Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Pats head coach Mike Vrable coached Team Patriots, which included several of his players, including Maye.
Before the actual game, there were two competitions. Beniers wasn’t in the home run derby (won by the Sharks’ Smith), opting instead for an even more challenging event. The Kraken pivot and others were tasked with throwing a ball from left field, with the goal of knocking over one of three bats lined up at 1st base.
Matty went 0-for-5 in the “Golden Arm” competition. So did most of the other celebrities. Beniers had better luck at the plate, hitting a leadoff single and later scoring in the 3rd inning. That proved to be a crucial run, as Team Sox edged Team Patriots, 17-16. In seven innings!
After the on-field fireworks came the in-the-air fireworks. Boston Children’s Hospital’s Alexandra Bueno told Patriots.com how much it all meant.
“At the end, on the field with all the patients and players meeting each other and then fireworks, music, rain! It felt like a movie.
“Our patient families were elated. I had multiple patients tell me it was the best day of their life.”
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