Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star Mookie Betts is still in the prime of his playing career on the baseball field, yet he holds a passion and competitiveness for bowling in the same light.
Betts has been known for taking his talents to numerous sports, including gaming. Work in community outreach has also been a huge piece to Betts’ status as a professional athlete, giving back to families and kids.
The 50/50 Foundation was created by Betts and his wife, Brianna, which focuses on empowering the youth and providing them with the tools to succeed. On Saturday, at Lucky Strike L.A. Live in Downtown Los Angeles, the second annual Mookie Betts and Friends bowling tournament is taking place.
Betts credited his wife for being a driving force in their charitable work and discussed the honor and excitement that comes with bowling for a cause, via SportsNet LA:
“This is really my wife’s thing and she kind of invited me. It’s good what she’s doing with the 50/50 Foundation. It’s awesome. All the money she’s raised, all the kids that she’s helped, all the smiles she’s put on peoples’ faces, that means so much to me. This bowling event obviously means the world to me and my family that we get to do something like this and we’re blessed to have people come support it. It’s going to be a great time. A good party atmosphere, but competitive because there is bowling. It will be a great time.”
Bowling was engrained in Betts’ upbringing, providing him with another avenue to compete and spend time with his family. Betts explained his love for bowling began at a very early age, way before he had visions of being a Major League Baseball player:
“I don’t know. I have no idea. It was just kind of random. My mom was bowling the night I was born, so maybe that’s what it is. I can’t really say. I mean, my crib was in the bowling alley, anything and everything was bowling from when I was a day old to now. It’s nothing new to me. I can’t really explain it. It’s just a passion that I have.”
Betts’ drive to be the best in every sport he takes part in might push him to take a second crown in his own charity event. He may be the only participant who has taken part in a Professional Bowlers Association tournament in the past, which also fuels his desire to win:
“I’m going to try. Me and my mom, we took the cake last year. So we’ll try and repeat. We’ve got to defend our belt.”
Betts has multiple perfect games under his belt in his bowling career, which reinforces his ace in the hole talent over the competition, between the lanes. He continues to push forward his fairly new 50/50 Foundation, providing multiple opportunities for fan engagement, which goes towards benefiting a fantastic initiative.
Mookie Betts Foundation Dinner
On Friday night, Mookie and Brianna Betts hosted a select group of sponsors at Dodger Stadium for a dinner and casino night inside the Dodgers’ clubhouse. The four pillars of the 50/50 foundation are mental/emotional health, nutrition, financial literacy and physical fitness.
The couple also was part of a workshop with local students during the 2024 Dodgers Love L.A. Community Tour.