DC-area celebrities from the world of sports and entertainment swung for the fences on Saturday in a fun-filled home run derby and charity softball game event organized by the newly-founded Alzner Foundation.
Stepping up to the plate were current Capitals players and Capitals alumni, Nicklas Backstrom, TJ Oshie, John Carlson, Tom Wilson, Mike Green, Jeff Halpern, and Devante Smith-Pelly. Nationals greats Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Eaton, as well as USWNT’s Haley Skarupa and Hayley Scamurra, also made appearances.
The Swing Into Summer event was the first major event put on by the Alzner Foundation, founded by former Capitals blueliner Karl Alzner and his wife Mandy. The Alzner Foundation is dedicated to empowering DMV youth through youth sports engagement. Saturday’s event benefited DC area non-profits So Kids SOAR and Leveling the Playing Field.
“This has been a long time coming for us to plan this thing,” Karl Alzner said as he opened the on-field festivities. “This city has done so much for us. The Washington Capitals really cemented our feelings for this area and how important it was for us to give back after everything we’ve been given.”
Alzner was a first round, fifth-overall pick by the Washington Capitals in 2007, and played the majority of his career for the Caps. In Alzner’s 591 games with the Capitals, he established himself as a reliable presence on the blue line.
“All the players, thank you guys for coming out. I think it just goes to show everyone who’s played in this city, it’s pretty important for them to want to come back and give back to some of these local charities here,” Alzner said.
The players were split across two teams headed by Alzner and his former Capitals teammate, Braden Holtby.
On Team Alzner were current and former Capitals Tom Wilson, Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Green, Devante Smith-Pelly, and Steve Oleksy, as well as Washington Spirit players Lena Silano and Nicole Barnhart, former MLB players Ryan Zimmerman and Shawn Camp, PWHL Ottawa player Hayley Scamurra, softball pro Marieo Foster, and media personality Annie Mae. Washington Spirit players Lena Silano and Nicole Barnhart, whose active seasons prevented them from playing outright, chipped in as base coaches.
On Team Holtby were current/former Capitals TJ Oshie, John Carlson, Eric Fehr, and Jeff Halpern, former MLB players Adam Eaton and Brett Cecil, former PWHPA player Haley Skarupa, former NFL player Nate Solder, softball pro Christopher Burrell, and media personality Natalie Spala. Spirit players Brittany Ratcliffe and Ashley Hatch served as base coaches.
The event was a lively family affair, with the players’ children joining them on the field and in the dugout. Alzner’s son, Anson, who was celebrating his 8th birthday, threw out the first pitch.
Team Alzner clinched the win in the home run derby, securing them 3 extra runs in the softball match that followed. When asked what advice Zimmerman had given his teammates, “Mr. National” joked that he’d told them “don’t have more than two High Noons.”
However, even with their score padded with extra runs, Team Alzner fell to Team Holtby in the softball match, with the final score 18 to 13. Team Holtby was awarded a trophy bat on the field.
Fun moments included when Oshie, stepping up to the plate with “Country Roads” as his walk-on music of course, hit a ball to left field and made a dash past second base, trying to make it to third. Missing his mark, he stumbled and fell before making it back safely to second. He played and served as a catcher despite a broken hand he suffered in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The teams also ran the bases with children from So Kids SOAR. Last season, Capitals players Charlie Lindgren and Nic Dowd teamed up with the same charity organization to host a skate session for children with disabilities.
“The turnout was better than we could have even imagined,” Alzner said after the game. “The support from the other athletes made us feel very fortunate. So happy to be able to help some great charities! I’ve heard a lot of great feedback so we’re going to try and come back better next year!”
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