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Montana State Bobcats giving back to trooper Wade Palmer in charity softball game

Posted at 10:58 PM, Jun 13, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-14 17:08:43-04

BOZEMAN — The Montana State football team is bringing back an annual tradition that helps benefit the community with its third annual Bobcat Softball Classic.

The game pits the MSU football team against Bozeman-area first responders in a charity game. And this year the proceeds are going to someone special, Montana highway patrol trooper Wade Palmer.

Palmer was severely injured in the line of duty after being shot three times in mid-March. After spending more than two months in a Utah hospital, Palmer finally returned home in May. The proceeds from the charity game will go to Palmer, and the Bobcats are really excited to help out in any way they can.

“It’s very important and very special because not a lot of people are willing to make that sacrifice, and the ones who do deserve to be given back to and especially someone who paid the ultimate sacrifice to keep the ones around them safe, they definitely deserve it,” said Daniel Hardy, a junior linebacker for MSU. “It is a privilege to be able to do something like this.”

The Bobcat Softball Classic will start at 5:30 p.m. on Friday with a home run derby and the game is at 6 p.m. at the American Legion Field at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds. Admission is $5 and they will also have some memorabilia to raffle off like a game ball from this year’s Cat-Griz game, game-worn jersey’s and tickets for the upcoming season.