KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Lindsey Nelson Stadium is normally home to the Vol baseball team, but it became the home of the 36 best 13U players Perfect Game USA had to offer this weekend.
Knoxville hosted the Perfect Game 13U Select Baseball Festival, which culminated with an East-West clash on August 21. The event was hosted in Oklahoma City for its first three years of existence but moved to Knoxville for the 2022 installment.
"PG is in rapid expansion into the Tennessee market, so this just felt like a perfect fit," PG Cares Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Ford said. "We love the baseball program here. Coach [Vitello] is the absolute best and the community here has been absolutely what we hoped it would be and very welcoming."
Tickets were free for Knoxville-area residents, and while the lone Tennessee representative among the players was a Memphis native, a greater cause connected players to the community. Each player was tasked with raising money for the East Tennessee Children's Hospital.
"They become invested in the community when they get announced to this roster and I think it is absolutely imperative that we support the local children's hospital," Ford said.
The players clearly felt connected to the Tennessee baseball team at the very least, and the West team even brought out their own rendition of the Vols' infamous "fur coat." This time, it took the form of a blanket.
The event raised over $55,000 for ETCH in the two-and-a-half weeks leading up to the showcase, and the donation window is still open at this link.