Posted at 2:05 a.m., Monday, June 18, 2007
Packer Favre's softball fundraiser still a big hit
Associated Press
GRAND CHUTE, Wis. — A bum shoulder limited Brett Favre's participation in his celebrity softball game Sunday.Still, support for the eighth annual event, a fundraiser for the Green Bay Packers quarterback's foundation, was at an all-time high. A record crowd of 8,597 attended the game at Fox Cities Stadium, outside Appleton.
"Nothing surprises me from the people," Favre said before the Packers offense squeaked out a 14-13 win over the defense in eight innings.
Packers spokesman Aaron Popkey said the event typically generates about $130,000 annually for the Brett Favre Fourward Foundation, which supports disadvantaged and disabled children in Wisconsin and Favre's home state of Mississippi.
The foundation has donated more than $3 million in its 11 years of existence, Favre said.
Two longtime Packers fans boosted the fundraising total by donating a total of nearly $25,000 to play in the softball game this year.
Scott Horack and David Krapf, both 36 years old, supported Favre's foundation in a big way Sunday.
Horack, a Wisconsin native who lives in Tampa, Fla., paid $14,085 to play on Favre's side in the game.
Horack had the winning bid in a weeklong auction on eBay earlier this spring.Krapf was runner-up in the eBay bidding but earned an invitation to play in the softball game for the second straight year by putting up $9,000.
Krapf, a union representative from Janesville, won the bidding last year and paid almost $3,000 to play with Favre and the offense. Krapf played with the defense this year.
