Joe Corsi wears father's old jersey, honors late Red Sox pitcher at Oldtime Baseball Game

CAMBRIDGE — Joe Corsi wore his father’s Red Sox jersey on Wednesday night.

Although the white sport shirt was a little large for the skinny 16-year-old from Bellingham, the jersey fit right in with the spirit of the 28th annual Abbot Financial Management Oldtime Baseball Game in honoring Jim Corsi.

On Jan. 4, Jim died from liver and colon cancer. The former major leaguer from Newton was 60 years old.

Nearly eight months later, Joe Corsi suited up in his father’s old Sox uniform for the same baseball game that his father had played in twice.

“It just means a lot that he impacted so many lives,” Corsi said, “and that they did this game for him.”

Jim Corsi's sons throw out ceremonial first pitch of Oldtime Baseball Game

The list of names playing in Wednesday’s Oldtime Baseball Game, which invites players from colleges around the Boston area and the occasional high schooler or retired big leaguer, featured many Division I, II and III athletes.

One of those names was Jack Schwartz, who grew up in Wayland. The game held extra meaning for the Tufts University senior. His father, Eric, died from cancer when Schwartz was 17.

“So it hits pretty close to home,” Schwartz, now 22, said. “So I’m just glad I can do anything I can to help out.”

Evan Moore wore the other Red Sox No. 41 jersey on Wednesday. His was blue.

In late 2020, the 21-year-old from Connecticut was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Over a year later, the Boston College pitcher was deemed cancer-free.

“It’s an incredible honor to be here today wearing Jim Corsi’s old baseball uniform,” Moore said. “I can’t even put it into words how special it is.”

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Moore received the nod to start the fundraising game (with proceeds going to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute) as the pitcher for the away team. And fittingly enough, Moore’s first batter was Corsi.

“Joey said he wanted to see what a Division I pitcher was like,” Moore said.

“I had a lot of nerves facing 94 (MPH),” said Corsi, a rising junior at Bellingham High. “(But) it’s just a lot of fun facing college competition.”

Corsi‘s father played in the Oldtime Baseball Game in 2002 and 2003 – once his major-league career concluded. When Corsi was younger, his father told him about the event that features a wide collection of old-school flannel uniforms.

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“He said he dominated it and I was like ‘Oh sick,’” Corsi said. “He just mentioned he played in it and he had a lot of fun with it.”

Along with his older brother, Mitch (30), Corsi threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Corsi also played left field and third base, and went 0-for-2 hitting with three walks, a run scored and a stolen base.

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No matter the results on the field – the away team won 11-3 – the teenager was just happy to play baseball and honor his father.

“He would’ve loved this event,” Corsi said.

Oldtime Baseball Game a family affair

Playing at St. Peter’s Field in Cambridge felt like a homecoming for Jarrod Marifiote.

Although the Anna Maria College fifth-year senior grew up in Framingham, his parents were raised in Cambridge. His grandfather, Bill Hill, who still coaches Little League Baseball at the age of 80, lives right down the street from the famed field.

So Marifiote had a handful of family members watch him play in the Oldtime Baseball Game in person.

“It’s kind of a full-circle moment,” Marifiote, 22, said. “... It feels like home.”

Marifiote grew up playing baseball and basketball with Corsi’s cousin, Jack. Being able to help raise money and pay tribute to his friend’s uncle was an added bonus.

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“I wanted to do everything I could for cancer research and The Jimmy Fund,” Marifiorte said. “Jim meant a lot to a lot of different people.”

His family tends to agree.

“He was the nicest dude ever,” said Jack, Jim’s nephew.

“I miss him,” said Dotty Corsi, Jim’s mother.

Jim’s two daughters, Jenna and Julianne, also joined their brothers on the diamond as part of the pregame ceremony. The Corsi kids think their father would’ve enjoyed this year’s game, which was held in his honor.

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“He would be so happy that everyone came out and came together from every walk of life,” Julianne, 31, said.

Said Mitch: “My dad is looking down and he’s proud of us. We’re just really happy to be here for him and for this cause.”

“Bringing people together, having a great time, that’s what my dad would’ve wanted,” Jenna, 28, said. “So we’re grateful to do it.”

And Joe Corsi was grateful to play in the Oldtime Baseball Game. He misses his dad. But wearing his father’s old jersey served as a way to keep his spirit alive.

Please help: By donating to the Dana-Farber Cancer Insitute's Young-Onset Colorectral Cancer Center

“It was (an) awesome experience and it was amazing playing in my dad’s uniform,” Joe said. “… I know he is watching from above.”

Tommy Cassell is a senior multimedia journalist for the Daily News. He can be reached at tcassell@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @tommycassell44.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Former Red Sox player Jim Corsi's son pays tribute to him