Baseball: John Jay-East Fishkill hosts Fox Lane for its annual Strikeout Cancer fundraiser
Memories of Brandon Johnson are vivid and warming among those within the John Jay-East Fishkill baseball program who knew him well. But the thought of his absence still is painful four years later.
Johnson once starred for the Patriots until he was diagnosed with leukemia, and even while battling cancer he held to hope of eventually returning to the team and again excelling as a pitcher. He eventually succumbed to the disease at age 19, but the valor and vigor he put forth in that years-long fight inspired people throughout the community.
"It's always difficult to think about and it's not something you ever get over," his former coach, Eric Frink, said. "But you remember the wonderful person he was and the things he did, and you appreciate how he touched a lot of people."
His memory is a significant part of the impetus for the baseball team in its annual pediatric cancer fundraiser.
John Jay hosts its Strike Out Cancer game Thursday, 3 p.m. at Heritage Financial Park ― formerly Dutchess Stadium ― in Fishkill. The Patriots will host Fox Lane in a varsity matchup that initially was scheduled to be played two weeks ago, but was postponed because of the rain.
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Money raised through this event will be donated to the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation, a nonprofit that provides financial support and services to the families of children fighting cancer. The organization was started by the former New York Giants coach who, while coaching at Boston College in 1992, lost a player, Jay McGillis, to leukemia.
The Strike Out Cancer tournament last year raised more than $5,000 for Maria Fareri Children's Hospital in Valhalla, which provided care for Johnson. It was during Frink's trips there to visit Johnson that he was moved, seeing as many children afflicted by the disease. That emotion birthed the idea for the fundraiser in 2018. The event returned last spring after a two-year hiatus amid the pandemic.
"Our booster club and Fox Lane's have worked so hard to put this together," said Frink, adding that Fox Lane has contributed a sizeable donation. "A lot of detail has gone into this and we're so appreciative of what they've done."
In lieu of the traditional uniforms, each of the players will wear shirts bearing the names of loved ones who have been impacted by cancer. Frink lost his mother and father-in-law to the disease.
Baseball will serve as the entertainment as money is raised through raffles, donations, games for kids and an auction of memorabilia, including items autographed by Coughlin, who won two Super Bowls with the Giants. They expect to draw upwards of $8,000, Frink said.
"Whoever can come or can donate, please do," Frink said. "So many people have been afflicted with this awful disease and we're just trying to do our small part to help."
Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @StephenHaynes4
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Baseball: John Jay hosts fundraiser to help fight pediatric cancer
