Eddie Grant Kickball Tournament shares thanks for some unsung heroes

Eddie Grant Kickball Tournament
shares thanks for some unsung heroes 

While we’re still getting a whole lot of photos and videos together, we wanted to shout out a few Unsung Heroes from yesterday’s Eddie Grant Kickball Tournament. Without contributions from each of these groups, we wouldn’t have gotten off the ground.

Thank You (TY) to Franklin Recreation Department and Ryan Jette for not only opening their “doors,” to us at Beaver Pond yesterday, but for truly rolling out the red carpet. What a fabulous site we hope to call home for many Junes to come.

TY to the incomparable Cam Afonso, who donated/printed all of the signage for our tremendous sponsors.

TY to Dan at Dan Brown at Kapitol Photography for volunteering his time and efforts to capture our on-field action and Opening Ceremonies. More of Dan’s beautiful work to come.

And TY to Gary Horton and HPG for their super generous donations of our Volunteer shirts — the wicking fabric was very much needed on a hot day!

BTW, we’ve still got Grant Tourney hats and t-shirts available for sale. Reach out to get the kickball player and/or fan in your life outfitted with the coolest swag in town. 

Shared from - https://www.facebook.com/share/1JLyi9CvCC/

Additional photos (more to be added as processed)   https://photos.app.goo.gl/PW92Hv7XExMJ9Di96

Franklin Matters Weekly was proud to sponsor this inaugural event. Video is being processed of the opening ceremonies, games, and the dunk tank action. It will be shared as soon as ready

What is Franklin Matters Weekly? Get one email a week with an outlook on the week ahead and a lookback on the week that was. 

Chris Stickney talks about the Inaugural Eddie Grant Kickball Tournament June 14 (audio)

FM #1760 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1760 in the series. 

This episode shares my conversation with one of the founders of Franklin Fathers, Chris Stickney. We recorded in the Franklin TV & Radio studio on Friday, June 5, 2026. 

• Inaugural Eddie Grant Kickball Tournament, Sunday, June 14, 2026

• Double elimination, teams of 10

• Food trucks, refreshments, games for kids & families

• Fund raising for Franklin Fathers, the American Legion Post, and the Franklin Food Pantry

The conversation runs about 20 minutes, let’s listen in

Audio link - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1760-inaugural-eddie-grant-kickball-06-05-26/

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Register for the Kickball tournament   https://forms.gle/LqbaRKZz3kHYKZ9D7! 

Franklin Fathers operates from a Facebook page (for now) 

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580257836187 

Volunteer to help at the Kickball tournament

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2026/06/volunteers-needed-for-inaugural-eddie.html 

NOTE: travel to Beaver Pond Field via Grove St on Sunday, June 14 as Beaver St is closed at the MBTA railroad tracks.

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach out. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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Reminder: Franklin Fathers schedule the Inaugural Eddie Grant Kickball Tournament - June 14

via Franklin Fathers:

"Take us out to the Ballgame!

Reminder: Franklin Fathers schedule the
Inaugural Eddie Grant Kickball Tournament - June 14

We’re thrilled to announce we’ve opened team registrations for the Inaugural Eddie Grant Kickball Tournament, a family-friendly event coming to Beaver Pond on Sunday, June 14th!

We’ll be posting more about Eddie’s incredible story, our fundraising efforts, and our wonderfully gracious community partners soon, but we’d love to have you join us.

Scan the QR code or find the registration link ->   https://forms.gle/LqbaRKZz3kHYKZ9D7!"

#community 

#franklinma

Shared from - https://www.facebook.com/share/1FMHFhBtxN/

Have you signed up for the Inaugural Eddie Grant Kickball Tournament - June 14 ???

via Franklin Fathers:

Franklin Fathers schedule the Inaugural
Eddie Grant Kickball Tournament - June 14

"Take us out to the Ballgame!

We’re thrilled to announce we’ve opened team registrations for the Inaugural Eddie Grant Kickball Tournament, a family-friendly event coming to Beaver Pond on Sunday, June 14th!

We’ll be posting more about Eddie’s incredible story, our fundraising efforts, and our wonderfully gracious community partners soon, but we’d love to have you join us.

Scan the QR code or find the registration link ->   https://forms.gle/LqbaRKZz3kHYKZ9D7!"

#community 

#franklinma

Shared from - https://www.facebook.com/share/1FMHFhBtxN/

Franklin Fathers schedule the Inaugural Eddie Grant Kickball Tournament - June 14

via Franklin Fathers:

Franklin Fathers schedule the Inaugural
Eddie Grant Kickball Tournament - June 14

"Take us out to the Ballgame!

We’re thrilled to announce we’ve opened team registrations for the Inaugural Eddie Grant Kickball Tournament, a family-friendly event coming to Beaver Pond on Sunday, June 14th!

We’ll be posting more about Eddie’s incredible story, our fundraising efforts, and our wonderfully gracious community partners soon, but we’d love to have you join us.

Scan the QR code or find the registration link ->   https://forms.gle/LqbaRKZz3kHYKZ9D7!"

#community 

#franklinma

Shared from - https://www.facebook.com/share/1FMHFhBtxN/

Inaugural Eddie Grant Classic Kickball Tournament - June 14

Inaugural Eddie Grant Classic Kickball Tournament

Presented by Franklin Fathers

Join us for the **first-ever Eddie Grant Classic Kickball Tournament**, a fun-filled community event bringing families, friends, and local businesses together for a day of friendly competition and fundraising. This double-elimination tournament will feature teams from across the community competing for bragging rights, a trophy, and prizes — all while supporting local causes and celebrating community spirit.

Who Was Eddie Grant?

Eddie Grant was a Franklin native, Major League Baseball player, Dean- and Harvard-educated attorney, and World War I soldier who exemplified leadership, service, and community spirit. After volunteering for military service during WWI, he was killed in action in 1918 while assisting wounded soldiers. His legacy reflects teamwork, sacrifice, and dedication to something greater than oneself — values we aim to honor through this community-focused event.

🗓 **Date:** June 14, 2026

⏰ **Time:** 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Tournament Details

* Double elimination format (8 teams max)

* 5-inning games

* 30-minute time limit (revert to last full inning if time expires)

* Played using official kickball rules

Team Composition

* Minimum of 10 players per team

* At least **3 kids (ages 12–17)**

* At least **3 women (age 17+)**

💲 **Registration Cost:** $200 per team

🏆 **Prize:** Trophy & prize for 1st place team

More Than Just Kickball!

This is a full community event with something for everyone:

* 🎟 Day-of raffles featuring prizes & baskets from local businesses

* 💰 50/50 raffle (proceeds benefiting the VFW)

* 🚚 Food trucks on-site

* 🏰 Kids activities including bounce house & face painting

* 🥤 Light refreshments available for purchase

Volunteers Needed

We’re also looking for volunteers to help with day-of tasks such as setup, scorekeeping, raffles, and cleanup. If you’re interested in helping, please reach out!

Bring your team, bring your family, and come enjoy a great day of community, competition, and fun. Spots are limited to **8 teams**, so register early!

More details and registration information coming soon.

Facebook event - https://www.facebook.com/events/990288313511154

The Lost Plaque of Eddie Grant: A Monument That Vanished

via the MetroWest Boston Visitors Bureau:

Captain Edward Leslie Grant of Franklin, Massachusetts — known as “Harvard Eddie” — was a rare figure in early professional baseball: a Harvard graduate, Major League third baseman, and later a World War I officer. After leaving baseball to practice law, Grant volunteered for service and was killed in action on October 5, 1918, while leading troops during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. He became the first Major League Baseball player to die in World War I.

In 1921, the New York Giants honored Grant with a five-foot granite monument and bronze plaque at the Polo Grounds in center field. Unveiled before a crowd of 30,000 on Memorial Day, the inscription remembered him as “Soldier – Scholar – Athlete.” For years, players and veterans groups held annual tributes at the site, and the plaque appeared in the background of several iconic baseball moments (Willie Mays famous 1954 World Series catch).

When the Giants left New York after the 1957 season, fans flooded the field after the final game and began removing pieces of the stadium. Grant’s plaque was taken down during the chaos. Although newspapers initially reported it recovered, its whereabouts were never clearly confirmed, and it became one of baseball’s most talked-about missing memorials.

Over time, a piece of baseball folklore emerged — the idea that the franchise had been under a “curse” since leaving behind Grant’s memorial and legacy. Whether superstition or storytelling, the tale gained traction among fans and historians and the "Curse of Captain Eddie" was born. 

Eddie Grant marker on the Franklin
Town Common - Veterans Walkway

In 2006, after years of advocacy by researchers and veterans organizations, the San Francisco Giants installed a replica Eddie Grant plaque at their ballpark (now Oracle Park). In 2010, the team won its first World Series title in San Francisco — ending a decades-long championship drought and giving the story a poetic final chapter.

Today, Grant’s memorial once again has a visible place in the game he loved — and his story stands as a powerful reminder that heroes from Massachusetts helped shape both American history and American sports.

📷: MLB player Eddie Grant, who died during the Battle of Argonne Forest in France during WWI, is seen in a New York Giants uniform, Bain News Service, 1914.

📷: Willie Mays makes his famous catch off the bat of Vic Wertz in the 1954 World Series at the Polo Grounds. The New York Giants went on to sweep the Cleveland Indians in four games. | NY Daily News/Getty Images

📷: Left to right: Dave Bancroft of the New York Giants and Zack Wheat of the Brooklyn Dodgers place a wreath of flowers on Eddie Grant’s monument at the Polo Grounds on April 13, 1922.

📷: The Eddie Grant plaque outside Oracle Park in San Francisco. |

Alex Simon/SFGATE

You can find the photos referenced -> https://www.facebook.com/share/19XrMpXLsN/