Stars Go to Bat for Charity

Vince Gill photo courtesy of MCA Nashville.

April 27, 2007 — Lead-off hitters Carrie Underwood, Vince Gill and Craig Morgan are the first stars to step up to the plate for the Lynnco Custom Cycles 17th Annual City of Hope Celebrity Softball Challenge.

The game, presented by Gibson Foundation, will take place on Thursday, June 7, at 1 p.m. at Nashville's Greer Stadium. Arch-rival teams "Grand Ole Opry Live" and "Blair Garner's After MidNite" will return for an afternoon of pranks, fun and softball.

The dugouts will be teeming with country's hottest stars gathered together to raise money for the City of Hope Cancer Center, one of the world's leading research and treatment centers for cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening diseases. The complete all-star line up will be announced in the coming weeks.

In anticipation of the game, Pete Fisher, vice-president/general manager of the Grand Ole Opry said: "All of us on the "Grand Ole Opry Live" team are looking forward to helping raise funds for such an important cause, while also casting further shame on Blair and his cast of "After MidNite" characters by handing them a third straight loss."

Blair Garner, creator of "After MidNite with Blair Garner," retorted, "Without the aid of Scooter Libby this year, and all that illegal money that went under the table, I really doubt that the 'Grand Ole Opry Live' team will stand a chance. Who knew that Little Jimmy Dickens would be involved in such dealings? The 'After MidNite' team will most definitely win this year. Or at least that's what I was assured of when I wrote out that $10,000 check."

Tickets for the game are $17.50 and are available at ticketmaster.com or 615-255-9600.