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Community goes to bat for Karl Hetze

Proving their merit on both the rink and the diamond, team Cheap Seats Sporting Goods claimed victory at the third annual Hot Karl Memorial Draft Tournament Sept. 1-3, beating Pin Point Locating 3-2.
Liam Graling of team Pin Point Point Locating reaches for the ball while playing team Cheap Seat Sporting Goods at the Athabasca Regional Multiplex Sept. 2.
Liam Graling of team Pin Point Point Locating reaches for the ball while playing team Cheap Seat Sporting Goods at the Athabasca Regional Multiplex Sept. 2.

Proving their merit on both the rink and the diamond, team Cheap Seats Sporting Goods claimed victory at the third annual Hot Karl Memorial Draft Tournament Sept. 1-3, beating Pin Point Locating 3-2.

The charity tournament is held in memory of Karl Hetze, who died of cancer in 2015. This was the first year it featured baseball.

“Everyone’s having a great time this year,” said Justin Tebbenham, who founded the tournament after his friend passed away. “I can’t say anything bad about this. We’re getting everyone together, so that’s pretty much what it’s all about.”

The tournament started out with a draft pick Sept. 1, in which six women picked their teams from 87 players. Tebbenham said he changes who picks the teams every year. One year, the goalies chose.

Through the weekend, teams faced each other in both baseball and hockey. They received two points for a victory in baseball and three in hockey. At the end of the weekend, the teams with the most points faced off to win a skateboard trophy engraved with their names.

This year proceeds will go to the Kids with Cancer Society in Edmonton. In the past two years, the tournament raised $14,577 for the Cross Cancer Institute. This year’s total was not available before publication.

“Last night, we had a toast to Karl and all the buddies and everyone who remembers Karl is here this weekend,” said Tebbenham. “So it gets everyone together and seeing each other and we remember Karl in that way. The bonus is we get to donate money to the Kids with Cancer Society.”

Chris Mitchell, who attended the tournament, said the tournament is a fitting memorial for Hetze.

“I was friends with Karl for a long time,” he said. “We used to skateboard and snowboard and when he passed away, they started to do something to remember him by. And he always did hockey.”

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