PHOENIX -- D-backs right-hander Archie Bradley looked around and shook his head a bit as he considered the scene at the Whirlwind Golf Club on Friday morning.
Bradley was getting ready to host the seventh annual D-backs Celebrity Golf Classic presented by Sanderson Ford. The event, which is held the Friday before Veterans Day each year, raises funds to support initiatives that improve the lives of military heroes.
"It's like, what did I do to be in this position to ... give money back to people like this?" Bradley said. "All just because of baseball. It's one of those things that off the field you look at it and you realize how blessed you are. The sacrifice these guys have made for you to be able to just play. It's pretty humbling and it's a cool experience."
With the $150,000 raised Friday, the D-backs have now donated more than $800,000 to important local organizations, including Military Assistance Mission, Folds of Honor Foundation, Central Arizona Shelter Services, Soldier's Best Friend, Project Healing Waters of Tucson, Honor Flight, MAMA House, Marine Corp Scholarship Foundation, USO, Packages from Home, Rebuilding Together, Madison Street Veterans and Fighter Country Partnership.
In addition to Bradley, D-backs pitchers Robbie Ray, Braden Shipley, Jimmie Sherfy and Matt Koch were in attendance, as were manager Torey Lovullo and his coaching staff.
A number of former D-backs players including Luis Gonzalez and Brandon Webb were also in attendance.
"To see the players that show up to this, our coaches that do, as well as former players, it shows how they support active military as well as veterans," D-backs team president/CEO Derrick Hall said. "It just shows how the organization continues to support the community, and this is another way that we can do it. When this started, we [were] at about 75 [thousand dollars], and then 100, and now near 150 and it continues to grow. We're going to need to use more space out here at the golf course. They're accommodating and our corporate partners embrace it as well."