The 8th annual Butch Gleason Memorial Coaches vs. Cancer Day at Ocean City High School is coming up Saturday with four games, including a girl-boy doubleheader at the Dixie Howell Gymnasium between the Raiders and Williamstown.
The day will also feature one of the best silent auctions in the event’s history. Gleason, an OCHS graduate who died in 2014, was the person who brought forth the idea of a Coaches vs, Cancer Night at OCHS seven years ago. It was named in his memory starting in 2015. The night will also be dedicated to the memory of Dave Lewis, the former Oakcrest coach and Ocean City resident, who died of cancer. And to the memory of Al Angelo, the legendary Philadelphia football coach who retired to this area to watch his son and grandson as part of OCHS football before he died from cancer.
This year, for the first time, the event has expanded to include two games between the boys and girls teams from the Ocean City Intermediate and Upper Township Middle schools. The middle school girls will play at 1:45, followed by the middle school boys. The undefeated OCHS girls will play at 4:30 and the high school boys game will follow at 6:30.
Temple University coach Fran Dunphy, who spoke at Ocean City’s first Coaches vs. Cancer event in 2010, is trying to arrange his schedule to attend Saturday. He will not know for sure until the last minute.
There will be a half-court shootout for fans at halftime of the high school games for Johnson’s Popcorn gift certificates and valuable items and certificates will be available for purchase. The silent auction will take place all day with the winners being announced following the boys game. Additional items could be added by Saturday.
The Coaches vs. Cancer Nights at OCHS have raised nearly $20,000 for the cause during the first seven years.
Coaches vs Cancer Auction Items
- 2016 NCAA Final Four program autographed by Villanova coach Jay Wright
- Baseball autographed by American League MVP Mike Trout
- World Series baseball autographed by Matt Szczur of the Cubs
- NBC Sports gift bag
- Basketball autographed by 76ers’ Nerlens Noel
- Foursome at Atlantic City Country Club
- Foursome at Sand Barrens Golf Club
- Foursome at Greate Bay Country Club
- Foursome at McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links
- “Success is the Only Option” book autographed by Kentucky’s John Calipari
- Mini-basketball signed by the 76ers’ Gerald Henderson
- Baseball autographed by Albert Pujols
- Photograph signed by the 76ers’ Dario Soric
- Angels jersey signed by Huston Street
- Baseball bat signed by Kole Calhoun
- Basketball autographed by OCHS Boys varsity team and coaches
- Basketball autographed by OCHS Girls varsity team and coaches
- Tickets to Temple-SMU game
- Tickets to Temple-UConn game
- Tickets to St. Joseph-St. Bonaventure game
- Tickets to Penn-Princeton game (includes ceremony celebrating 90th anniversary of The Palestra)
- Tickets to the pre-season NIT in New York in November
- Gift basket from Gillian’s Wonderland Pier
- Gift basket of LuLaRoe leggings
- 76ers fan pack (cap, shirt, water bottle)
- Car detailing from Car Caress
- Two large tubs of Johnson’s Popcorn
