Pacers and Colts raise money for charity at Softball Classic

INDIANAPOLIS – The Pacers Foundation Charity Softball Classic returned on Monday with Tyrese Haliburton captaining the event. Charity. Sports. As good as it gets.

Several Pacers and Colts players attended. I don't know the Colts roster well enough to rattle them all off, but along with Haliburton fans saw Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, T.J. McConnell, Obi Toppin, Jay Huff, Johnny Furphy, and Braden Smith at the event.

Toppin was a pretty good softball player. Nesmith was not. The rest all blend together through their various high and lowlights. Colts reserve QB Riley Leaonard was Toppin's main competition for MVP.

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The Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever, up close

Circle City SpinTony East

Who cares about that, though. Haliburton's team won by like a million runs. Fans had a great time and a bunch of money got donated. That's what really matters.

"It means a lot, number one, because Tyrese poured its heart into this. And I think it's a great example of how sports can really impact the larger community. Everyone who's here supporting the Pacers Foundation and Drive & Dish," Rachel Simon, the President of the Herbert Simon Family Foundation, said.

The event raised money and awareness for youth food insecurity across the state – Rick Carlisle's Drive & Dish program was the beneficiary. At various moments throughout the game, donation incentives were put up for the upcoming event in the game. Pat McAfee, the emcee, offered up a $25k donation if Toppin hit a home run during a specific at bat. He rolled a grounder into the outfield. Carlie-Irsay Gordon and Kalen Jackson, two of the Colts owners, promised a $100k donation before Haliburton came up to the plate. The catch? He had to get on base.

He smacked a ground ball right by QB Daniel Jones. Success, thought at full effort it would have been a close play at first base.

"To bring [the event] back and bring something enjoyable to the city is a lot of fun," Haliburton said. "I'm really thankful for everybody that's here."

Haliburton admitted most of the leg work in getting the event off the ground came from Colts and Pacers leaders. He was grateful their relationship could make it work. "I think Indy being known as such a sports city, a sports town, obviously there's a lot of buzz in our city for many reasons," he added. "The Fever are obviously doing really well right now. The Colts got their season coming up really soon. We start camp here in a month and a half. So there's just a lot going on in the city right now, and I think that's really enjoyable for everybody to be a part of. And we're here with our fans. They love being here."

He was thrilled with the turnout for the event and soaked it all in as he exited the dugout to walk onto the field. Over an hour before the game, the line of ticketed fans was already over a block long. Some arrived more than six hours before gates opened.

McConnell signed autographs for ages, walking all the way along the wall of cheering onlookers from third base to first base. Smith, Huff, Toppin, and Furphy spent a ton of time with fans. Nembhard did so later, then tried to toss a baseball to fans by throwing it over the safety netting.

A few Indy Ignite players participated as well, as did Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell and forward Michelle Onyiah. Onyiah played in the game – Mitchell did not.

McAfee took one at bat. Simone (Biles) Owens was in attendance, as was Mike Epps. Haliburton's connections helped make the event even more special.

"He loves Indy and he loves his community and we're incredibly grateful for that," Simon shared. "And I need to give a shout out to coach Carlisle, who really spearheaded Drive & Dish from the beginning. His heart was all in and it's still all in. So we have a sold-out crowd, like 10,000. I mean, let's see who can really play softball, right?"

Toppin could, that's for sure. He blasted two home runs and could catch the ball when it came his way – a simple task that not all participants were capable of. Haliburton said he hadn't swung a bat in five years and was worried that he had to set the tone since he batted first.

His first trip to the plate? A wimpy pop out into foul territory. Then, four-straight hits as his team rolled to a win.

"Either my team's gonna be nice or whack. I don't know, we're gonna see," he said. In the end, his team was very nice.

Smith said he used to play baseball but stopped in about seventh grade. His most recent experience was playing with his friends when they would all come home from college.

When asked who he thought would go deep tonight, Smith picked Huff. Those two stood side by side signing autographs moments later, a sight to see given their height difference.

And Smith was correct, Huff did go yard during his first at bat. "I was pretty good in like fifth grade," Huff said of his baseball skills. He shared that he once hit a ground ball grand slam growing up.

"We played at UVA. We had our team softball games," he added. Huff spent much of the game at first base, being a big target in the field for his teammates. It was among the best bits of strategy and planning shown all night.

But it wasn't the best. The planning of the event itself takes that prize.

Thank you for reading. Another story from Victory Field coming later today, this time via the Fever. Sign up so you don't miss it.