Prior to Friday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies, several members of the Tampa Bay Rays helped out a great cause by saving their heads for charity.
Manager Joe Maddon and over 60 players had their heads shaved to combat pediatric cancer. When asked about doing this, Madden was excited and hopes to keep it going:
We hope to make this a Rays tradition every spring. Our first shaving last year was an overwhelming success. More than 70 of our players, coaches and staff including our principal owner Stuart Sternberg shaved their heads. We hope for more of the same this year.
While this is, of course, really about supporting the kids and their families, it served as a great moment for our organization, perhaps one of the most important ever because we all stood up together for a cause so meaningful. And it is something we are excited to introduce to our new players each year.
We will continue to shave our heads under our "Fortune Favors the Bald" slogan. As an organization, we are proud to support organizations and institutions like the Pediatric Cancer Foundation (PCF).
After the game, Maddon tweeted his appreciation to everybody involved, and said that fortune really did favor the bald when Steven Voigt hit a walk-off home run in the 10th inning.
Last year, the Rays raised over $7,500 and set a goal of $20,000 to support kids throughout the country that are battling various forms of cancer. In talking with WTSB Sports Anchor Bobby Lewis on Twitter, he noted that several fans donated $100 each to join in and have their heads shaved along with the players.
To show support for a player or participant, fans are encouraged to text "Cut" to 50555 to make a $10 donation. You can also check out the Pediatric Cancer Foundation website by clicking HERE.
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