Already honored this year for his philanthropy, Mets lefthander and Long Island native Steven Matz is taking his charitable game to the next level this week with an actual game — bowling.
Matz, a Ward Melville alumnus, and his charity, TRU32, will host “Strikes with Steven” at Bowlmor Lanes in Times Square on Thursday night. The event is billed as a night of high-end bowling, dinner and drinks with New York firefighters, police officers and EMTs — plus celebrity guests — and will raise money for TRU32.
Created in 2016, Matz’s TRU32 — which gets its number from the pitcher’s uniform — began as a ticket program for first responders but has since expanded to helping to fund scholarships for children who have lost a parent in the line of duty. At select Mets home games, Matz hosts 32 members of NYPD, FDNY and the U.S. military as a way to thank them for their service.
This past season was not only Matz’s best as a major-leaguer, but he also was the Mets’ nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, an annual honor for the players who best represent baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions on and off the field.
“Strikes with Steven” is set to begin at 7 p.m. Thursday. General entrance tickets are available for those who don’t want to bowl; tickets begin at $150. Visit strikeswithsteven.com for more information.
This article originally appeared on Newsday.