Quarterback Jordan Love launches new foundation, takes over Green Bay Charity Softball Game from Packers legend Donald Driver

GRAND CHUTE – Prior to the start of the Green Bay Charity Softball Game at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium on Friday, retired Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver completed a pass.

He passed the torch of carrying on the tradition of the charity softball game to Packers quarterback Jordan Love.

“I have this opportunity to pass it to who I feel is the future quarterback of the Green Bay Packers, Jordan Love,” Driver said. “He deserves it and, as I’ve said before, it’s time to pass the torch to him.”

But why now, when he continues to have a sold-out softball game?

“It’s time to pass the torch to the young generation,” said Driver, who went into what it’s like to retire from the event. “For me to retire (from the NFL) 11 years ago and still be able to sell out a softball game tells you what the fans mean to me and what I mean to the fans.”

Love accepted the “proverbial torch” with honor.

“We’re very excited with the tradition of the softball game,” Love said while introducing his foundation. “It’s an honor to keep it going.”

Love’s foundation will be called Hands of 10ve Foundation.

“I’m blessed to be able to play in the NFL and we’re trying to do more for the community,” Love said.

Love laid out the goals for his foundation.

“Try to get kids more involved in sports, try to get the police and sheriff’s departments into the community more,” he said. “And bring more attention to mental health issues and suicide.”

Offense dominates the defense

It didn’t take long for Team Offense to take command of the game, scoring five runs in the first inning for a 5-1 lead over Team Defense, adding two in the second, five in the third and four in the fourth for a 16-2 lead.

Packers tight end Joel Wilson provided two highlights for Team Offense with a monstrous two-run home run to left center field in the second inning and adding a three-run blast in the fourth.

“The first one I could feel off the bat that it was gone,” Wilson said. “The second one popped it up a bit. The fences are a bit short, but it’s nice to figure that you hit a home run in this game.”

Wilson, who played baseball in high school, loved being back on the field.

“Coming out here is kind of a throwback to playing in high school,” he said. “Every time you do something like this outside of football, you get to know your teammates better. It’s fun. It’s a great time.”

Wide receiver Grant DuBose added a solo home run after Wilson’s second home run to put Team Offense up 16-2.

Team Defense scored five runs in the top of the seventh before rain moved in and ended the game with a 16-7 final score.

Wide receiver Jayden Reed, who had a single, drove in two runs and scored on a home run by Henry Pearson, loved the atmosphere.

“It’s a great time being here with my guys, building chemistry and competing,” said Reed, who welcomed helping Love get his foundation up and running. “That’s extremely great to get his foundation started and for him to involve his teammates.”

Reed added he was not surprised Fox Cities Stadium would be full of fans coming out to watch football players play softball.

“Packers fans are loyal, so it doesn’t surprise me,” he said. “No doubt.”

Going yard, sort of

The pregame home run derby often serves as a precursor to the home runs that will be hit during the game, with Love predicting before the game he would hit 12 home runs in the derby, and then upping that to 15 after some cajoling from Driver.

It didn’t quite work out that way.

Love was the only player to hit a home run during the contest, giving him a giant trophy to take home with a winning total of one home run.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Green Bay Charity Softball Game brings out another big crowd