Friday was the 20th anniversary of a fundraiser to benefit childhood cancer research in the memory of former Pope High School student and football player Matt Hobby.
Before the football game against Lassiter, the school announced that it was designating the sports stadium Matt Hobby Field.
Hobby died of Ewing Sarcoma, an aggressive form of cancer, in 2006, right before his graduation, and a year after the Rally Foundation had been formed to conduct childhood cancer research.
Each year during the football season, a Pope home game is designated as a fundraiser for the Rally Foundation.
At that fundraiser, special t-shirts are sold, and a player is honored who wears Hobby’s jersey No. 70. That player is chosen before the season by coaches who “best exemplifies Matt’s qualities.”
This year, No. 70 is James Burns, and he’s wearing that shirt all season. Here are all the No. 70 recipients, starting in 2012.
“When Matt realized he would not survive cancer, he asked that money be raised for childhood cancer research so younger kids could live,” said Dean Crowe, founder and CEO of Rally Foundation, earlier this week.
“In 2005, he stood in uniform on the gridiron as the Pope community rallied around him, beginning a tradition that became the Matt Hobby Classic. Since then, 4 Quarters 4 Research has raised more than $450,000 at Pope alone and spread to schools nationwide, and it proves that Matt’s legacy of hope and generosity is still changing lives 20 years later.”
In addition to football, Pope’s soccer and lacrosse teams also compete at what is now Matt Hobby Field, along with track and field athletes.
Lassiter won the game 49-7.
To learn more about Rally Foundation, visit its website and follow on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.
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