BALLWIN, Mo. — Jason Motte likes to quote Hall-of-Famer Roberto Clemente.
"Any time you have an opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don't, then you are wasting your time on Earth," said the Pirates great.
They're words to live by for the former Cardinals hero.
“It’s all about helping people, helping others," said the 2011 World Series champion.
The Jason Motte Foundation teamed up with Baseball BATtles Cancer for the sixth straight year this past weekend in Ballwin. It's an American Legion baseball tournament raising money for cancer research. The event has raised more than $30,000 so far, with hopes of raising $10,000 from Saturday.
“We had a simple question of ‘How can we help? How can we help others who helped us?' and it started out as that," said Motte.
But why raise money for cancer research specifically? Why so passionate?
“So my wife’s grandfather was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer about two months before our wedding back in 2010," said Motte.
PJ Arway, who co-founded Baseball BATtles Cancer, could relate with Motte.
“We’ve all been affected by it in some way and baseball has always been my love," he said. “If you look at the hat I’m wearing it’s in honor of my Godfather who passed away at the age 36.”
“This isn’t just a fundraiser, this is a cancer awareness event.”
While baseball is the focus of the fundraiser, Motte uses the tournament as an opportunity to stress the importance of cancer research, anything he can possibly do to help strike out cancer.
Click the links below to learn more or to see how you can donate.
