From the Mound to the Felt: MLB Pitcher Aaron Nola Hosts Poker Night to Give Back to Veterans

I’ve attended a number of charity poker tournaments, however the charity poker occasion held by Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola on Could 15 at Philadelphia’s Residents Financial institution Park was one thing actually particular. The evening wasn’t nearly playing cards, it was about group, giving again, and the shared mission of Staff Purple, White & Blue (Staff RWB) to help veterans.

I didn’t simply cowl the occasion; I performed in it myself. The event environment was nice enjoyable, crammed with leisure gamers and loads of laughs. And each entry fired helped help Staff RWB, a company devoted to serving to veterans preserve bodily and psychological wellness.

I acquired the prospect to talk with Staff RWB member Mike Irwin, who summed up their mission completely: “Whenever you take off the uniform, if you go away the navy, you not must train. And so we preserve pushing veterans to faucet into the ability of bodily exercise to drive psychological well being.”

Mike additionally instructed me about their different occasion occurring proper now, the Previous Glory Extremely Relay, a 3,000-mile race throughout the nation, the place 12 veterans carry an American flag from San Diego to Washington, D.C. in simply 17 days.

For these impressed by the trigger, becoming a member of a neighborhood chapter or downloading the Staff RWB app is an effective way to get entangled.

Should you’re questioning, I had a blast on the ballpark, however sadly, I did not get to benefit from the poker environment too lengthy. Pretty early into the event, I flopped a set in a many-way pot with 8x8x on a board of 6x8x9x, solely to seek out out the large blind held 5x7x. However consoling myself with a cheesesteak, a Yuengling, and a non-public view of Residents Financial institution Park was positively one among my finest post-bustout meditations.

Past the poker tables, the occasion featured a vigorous public sale, with Philly-themed gadgets like Eagles and Phillies jerseys and Rocky shorts signed by Sylvester Stallone. The 2 largest bids of the evening went to a signed Kobe Bryant jersey and a signed Taylor Swift guitar, each fetching round $5,000.

I spoke with Nola about his connection to Staff RWB, and he shared, “I met these guys, Staff Purple, White & Blue and Mike Irwin years in the past, really proper there on the concourse [at Citizens Bank Park] and actually sort of fell in love with what they do and their mission and the way they assist veterans get again on their ft bodily, mentally. My uncle served in Fort Polk, so it is a private connection.”

Nola himself had fairly the event run. Regardless of overtly admitting to TRYING to bust close to the ultimate desk to not win a prize in his personal charity occasion, he stored profitable arms! In a single notably wild spot, he was all in with Kx9x in opposition to AxJx, QxJx, and 7x2x … solely to flop a straight on QxJx10x and survive.

The event ended with participant Al Rossi claiming victory. He mirrored on the expertise, saying, “Oh, it’s important to get fortunate in a event like this as a result of the blinds go up so quick—exponentially. Should you do not shove your cash in if you actually do not have the perfect arms, you are going to be out anyway. So I simply mentioned, hey, I will take a shot greater than as soon as, and I acquired fortunate!”

For his win, Al took dwelling a Staff RWB varsity jacket emblazoned with ‘CHAMPION’ on the again, together with a golf bag, a Yuengling jersey, and a Phillies helmet signed by your entire roster. What’s extra, your entire occasion raised $225,000 for Staff Purple, White & Blue!

Photos courtesy of Tom Lehotsky.

Take a look at extra images from the charity occasion by Tom Lehotsky right here!