SALEM, Va. – Firefighters and police officers hit the ballfield for a good cause Friday night playing in the 17th annual Guns and Hoses charity softball game.
They may not be pros but they sure know how to go yard. Friday night’s game brought the annual matchup back out to the ballpark in Salem.
“The hoses are all firefighters, the guns are all police officers and then we’ll have a little game,” Roanoke City Police Department Officer Robert Newman said.
The two teams left it all out on the field but still had fun while doing it.
“A lot of the times when we see the guys it’s usually on a negative call when people need help in bad situations. This is a good situation to get our friends and families together and have a good time and share a bond out on the field,” Newman said.
Tony Rickman is a firefighter with Salem City and organizes the game. He’s been involved since the beginning and said in their 17th year they played for the Ronald McDonald House.
“It’s a great event, a lot of work goes into it to benefit the kids,” Rickman said. “We’ve actually gotten bigger and grown each year and we started very small and we’ve grown each year, hopefully, this is going to be our biggest year ever.”
The last game raised about $4,000 for MDA. It’s a win-win for fans getting to see their favorite faces play under the lights on the Salem Red Sox field.
“It’s an honor to walk onto this field and play and it’s a great organization and great facility to be in,” Rickman said.
While bragging rights are on the line, in the end, it’s all about taking care of others. It’s a perfect extension of what they already do off the field.
“Our families and kids are out here in the stands, they look up to us as heroes but it’s good to show the other side of it that we can go out and have fun and just have a good night,” Newman said.
The Hoses topped the Guns 16 to 13. The Ronald McDonald House said they’re thankful for the support.