PSU Head Coach James Franklin To Throw Out First Pitch At Citizens Bank Park
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Penn State head football coach James Franklin will throw out the first pitch during THON night on Thursday, July 30th, when the Philadelphia Phillies host the Atlanta Braves at 7:05 p.m.
THON, short for The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world and is a yearlong effort towards the fight against pediatric cancer. Since 1977, THON has raised north of $127 million for the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital.
Franklin, 43, is from Langhorne, PA and a graduate of Neshaminy High School.
"Having grown up 25 minutes from the Phillies ballpark, I am a lifelong fan and to have the opportunity to take the mound at Citizens Bank Park is a huge thrill for me," Franklin said in statement via GoPSUSports.com. "It is even cooler to throw out the first pitch on THON night. THON is one of the many things that makes Penn State such a special place. Our interactions with the THON families is something that we look forward to every year. We couldn't be more proud of the work that the students do to raise millions and millions of dollars for the Four Diamonds Fund each year."
Fans can purchase tickets through a special THON website (www.phillies.com/thon) and the Phillies will donate proceeds to Penn State's THON.
