SAN DIEGO -- When Padres center fielder Jon Jay heard there was an opening for host of the Padres' BaseBowl event -- a local celebrity bowling tournament that benefits the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Diego -- he jumped at the chance.
Of course he did. During each of the past five offseasons, Jay hosted a bowling event of his own in Miami, raising funds for the same charity. He spent his youth at the Boys & Girls Club in Miami-Dade, where he learned to play baseball.
"It's something that I wanted to jump on as soon as I could," Jay said of hosting the event, which will take place Sunday at 6 p.m. PT at East Village Tavern and Bowl. "It's for the Boys & Girls Club, somewhere where I grew up going, and where I played baseball. It kept me busy when I was a child. It'll be nice to do this for San Diego."
Among the other Padres set to attend the event are outfielder Travis Jankowski, infielders Cory Spangenberg and Adam Rosales and pitchers Edwin Jackson and Carter Capps.
In its inaugural year in 2015, the event raised more than $35,000, when former Padres first baseman Yonder Alonso played host. Registration for this year's event is available at jonjaybasebowl.com.
Jay is currently recovering from a broken right forearm and isn't slated to return until early September. Fortunately, he bowls left-handed.