Browns Celebrity Softball Game Recap/Charity Boost

Some Browns fans tailgated on Saturday for about seven hours before the start of the Jarvis Landry Celebrity Softball game at Classic Park Stadium in Eastlake. The event, which had a fundraising initiative for the Jarvis Landry Building Winners Foundation, also benefitted the Lake Health Foundation.

In a way, the tailgating is a bit of a return to normalcy for some fans, or at least normalcy pre-COVID. According to a post by Brownswire, “As many of the limits from 2020 are lifted, Cleveland fans got an early start on getting back to their tailgating ways in advance of Jarvis Landry’s charity softball event. . . To put this video in context, Landry’s event starts at 3 pm with the gates opening at 2 pm. The video, shot before 10 am, shows a variety of tailgaters all set up and ready to go already.

As for Landry’s charity, The Building Winners Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to positively impacting the lives of children and families facing socioeconomic disparities and/or chronic health conditions such as cystic fibrosis. Founded last year by the star wide receiver, the foundation’s mission is to empower, engage, and excite those communities through a variety of life-changing programs, special events, and charitable initiatives held throughout the year in the greater Cleveland, Miami, Florida, and New Orleans, Louisiana areas. More information on the charity can be found online at https://iamjarvislandry.com/the-foundation.

Regarding the Lake Health Foundation incentive, the group is the philanthropic affiliate of Lake Health, a not-for-profit corporation that serves both the health and medical needs of the residents of Lake County and surrounding areas. On behalf of the Lake Health system, the Foundation accepts contributions and efficiently uses those donations to positively impact the health of their community. The group is dedicated to redefining healthcare in Northeast Ohio, and Lake Health provides patient and family-centered care promoting a lifetime of health and wellness. More information can be found online at https://lakehealth.org/.

As for the main events, a packed house of over 7000 fans lined the seats at Classic Park in Eastlake on Saturday, and they watched a special home run derby, followed by the Charity Softball Game. At the end of the derby, it was Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield, who earned a share of the title with Landry’s agent Damarius Bilbo.

When the main game came around, Landry (who served as captain for the yellow jerseys) defeated opposing captain Travis Kelce (Kansas City Chiefs tight end and leader of the team in purple) by a final count of 22 to 7. Browns’ star defensive end Myles Garrett contributed to the cause with a home run during the festivities. Other notable names who attended the game were Browns legend quarterback Bernie Kosar, Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard, 2021 first-round draft picks Micah Parsons and Justin Fields, and current Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland.

As Browns fans saw what was the most memorable season unfold in 2020, one of the things that they missed out on due to the pandemic was being able to tailgate in the Municipal lot. Now with orders being lifted, more fans are taking the opportunity to enjoy themselves, and more fans will pack the Muni as the 2021 NFL season rolls around.