One of the sadder things in life is the premature death of a former teammate. Fellow team members and fans feel the loss along with the remaining members of the family. Turning the grief into a positive force is a wonderful way to honor the memory of the deceased. For athletes, this often takes the form of a fundraising event centered on a memorial game. The money raised is used for some good cause, possibly one that is related to the deceased.
Memorial games are held for all levels of athlete, from high school player to professional star. For example, Courtland High School in the county of Spotsylvania sponsored a memorial game to remember Baron P. Braswell II. Braswell was a model student and promising athlete when he was stabbed at the age of 16 in 2006. The killer, Marvin Parker, received a 30-year sentence, and four accomplices also were implicated. Braswell’s parents actively organized the memorial game, whose proceeds went to scholarships for graduating seniors in the county and in the city of Fredericksburg. It was also a powerful statement against violence.
Funeral flowers adorned the basketball court on the night of the game, in which Braswell’s father served as referee. He gave a short address to the attendees about his son and the value of living one’s life. In addition to the memorial game, the family and friends of Braswell organized a memorial five kilometer walk/run at the high school. Proceeds went to the Baron “Deuce” P. Braswell II Memorial Scholarship Fund, which is administered by the Community Foundation of the Rappahannock River Region.
Another example is the Sports Legacy Institute (SLI) of Gaithersburg, Maryland, which was set up to honor the memory of Tom McHale, a former NFL player who died at the age of 45. His death was caused ultimately from the accumulation of injuries to his head that he sustained over his career. He developed chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and the funds raised by the institute are donated to the Boston University Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy. The SLI has helped elevate the topic of sports concussions from obscurity and helped spur a drive towards safer helmets and equipment.
These two examples point up the benefits of memorial fundraising. This kind of activity not only raises needed funds for important causes, it also constructively channels a community’s grief over the loss of a beloved athlete at too early an age.