McKINNEY — A McKinney boy is using his love of baseball to help his mom fight cancer.
Lisa Cox just finished chemotherapy treatments for the fifth time in four years. Her 11-year-old son Geordon came up with a unique idea for a Christmas gift for her: The "Strikes Against Cancer" baseball tournament.
Geordon is a good pitcher, and his specialty is throwing strikes. But there is something else motivating him. For every strike he throws, he's earning donations to fight cancer.
"I just wanted to give my mom something she could have forever," said the young pitcher.
Geordon's dad, Adam Cox, loved the idea. But he told his son he would have to follow through — no matter what. So Geordon organized the tournament by himself and got 240 teams to play.
"Sometimes children come up with something so pure and so beautiful,” said the boy’s father. “That's what children do."
Lisa Cox is still weak from chemo, but she will go to the opening game at The Ballfields at Craig Ranch. It will be the first time she's seen Geordon play in a year.
"It'll just really be good to see my mom out here," Geordon said. “It will be a great day for everyone who's battling cancer. I've been overwhelmed by all the reaction we've got and everybody who's been touched by cancer."
Not only will registration fees help raise money. But for every strike thrown, a penny will be donated to the cause.
They hope to raise $60,000.
The Strikes Against Cancer baseball tournament is taking place this weekend at the Ballfields at Craig Ranch in McKinney, on Alma Drive, just north of the Sam Rayburn Tollway (formerly SH 121).
E-mail sstoler@wfaa.com
