Gig Harbor vs South Kitsap baseball game at Cheney Stadium will honor military

Saturday (April 16) will mark the second consecutive year the Gig Harbor and South Kitsap High baseball teams will face off against each other at Tacoma’s Cheney Stadium for a charity baseball game.

This year’s game, which begins at 3 p.m., should be even more special.

The Elton Goodwin Memorial Foundation is hosting a “Tribute To Our Troops” theme to honor the Armed Forces community. The foundation has worked with members of the Gig Harbor booster club to provide camouflage-print uniforms for the players and coaches from each school. To honor local fallen soldiers, each of the jerseys will bear the name and rank of a troop from the Kitsap and Key peninsulas who gave their life in combat.

In all, 48 local veterans will be honored.

Some of the families of fallen troops will be in attendance, and a few players from each school will have the distinction of representing a troop whose family is in attendance.

“We thought the military idea was fantastic,” said Gig Harbor athletic director Bob Werner. “We’ve really run with that. It’s going to be special. It’s going to be a tear-jerker, an emotional day. It’s just going to be special all-round.”

Following the game and MVP award, a short ceremony will take place, in which the players will present their jerseys to those families who are in attendance.

Admission and parking are free. Event sponsorships, in-game raffle proceeds and donations collected at the game benefit American Legion Post 30 in Port Orchard, American Legion Post 236 in Gig Harbor, the Elton Goodwin Memorial Foundation and the Gig Harbor Baseball Booster Club.

Gig Harbor (9-3 overall, 6-0 Narrows 4A) beat South Kitsap (7-4, 3-2) last season at Cheney Stadium, 4-2. Gig Harbor carried a combined no-hitter into the seventh running before giving up a couple runs.

South Kitsap went on to win the 2015 Class 4A state title, while Gig Harbor took third in state.

This story was originally published April 12, 2016 at 3:48 PM with the headline "Gig Harbor vs South Kitsap baseball game at Cheney Stadium will honor military."