California Strong: Yelich & Braun hosting celebrity softball for CA wildfire relief

(FOX 11) - Some of the biggest names in entertainment and sports are getting together in Malibu this weekend for a celebrity softball game and it's for a great cause.

It's all the idea of some local boys who as men have become the biggest stars in their sport. Now they're now paying it forward in a big way!

Christian Yelich and Ryan Braun may both play baseball for the Milwaukee Brewers but both are 'California Strong.'

They have won the National League MVP award. Yelich won in 2018 and Braun in 2011.

Both grew up in Southern California. Yelich graduated from Westlake High School in Westlake Village.

Braun graduated from Granada Hills High in Granada Hills.

Both of them visited the Borderline Bar and Grill while in high school.

They live in Malibu in the off-season and train at Proactive Sports Performance in Thousand Oaks.

"L.A. has been and will always be home," Braun told FOX 11's Elex Michaelson.

"We grew up in this area, we frequented these places, we're part of this community," Yelich added.

Braun and Yelich were both "devastated" when they saw the shooting at the Borderline Bar & Grill and then fires in the area hours later.

"It's probably one of the worst days this area, this community has ever had," Yelich said.

Both men had to evacuate from their Malibu homes.

They got on a group text with workout buddies Jared Goff of the L.A. Rams, Brewers teammate Mike Moustakas, and Brewers' co-owner Mike Attansio.

Attansio said: "Ryan, Christian, Mike, and I were all evacuated from our homes in Malibu and we were fortunate enough not to lose our homes but to be able to give back to those who were less fortunate is incredibly important to me and the guys."

They created an organization called California Strong and partnered with the YMCA Southeast Ventura County.

"I don't know what we're going to be able to do, how we're going to be able to give back, but we have to try and do something," Yelich said.

So far, they've raised more than $700,000.

Working with Proactive Sports, they hosted a Thanksgiving style dinner for those impacted by the fires and shootings. They received gift bags, massages, and a lot of love.

On Sunday, they're hosting a celebrity softball game at Pepperdine University in Malibu. Batting practice starts at 12:30 p.m. and the game at 1:30 p.m.

The game features: Adam Sandler, Charlie Sheen, Mira Sorvino, Justin Turner, Baker Mayfield Reggie Miller, Yelich, Braun, and several others.

Tickets start at $25 and can be found here: http://www.ca-strong.com

"It's a cool collection of people that don't usually get to interact, all in one environment, you've got athletes, actresses all over," said Yelich.

100 percent of all donations go to grants for disaster victims.

"This is not a short term fix, we know these lives are going to be impacted for many years to come," said Ronnie Stone of the Southeast Ventura County YMCA.

Braun added, "The moral of the story is everybody can try to do their part to help and there's a lot of people who do need that help!"