New England Patriots
“We’ve grown to love this place in a short amount of time.”
Drake and Ann Michael Maye sold out Polar Park on Sunday for their charity softball game. (Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff)
June 1, 2026 | 7:26 AM
5 minutes to read
WORCESTER — Drake Maye’s resume on the football field speaks for itself.
But the Patriots quarterback kept his expectations in check on Sunday when he traded in his football gear for a bat.
“My batting average? It’s all zeros,” Maye said at Worcester’s Polar Park. “So, I guess we’ll find out tonight.”
Maye won’t need to leave his regular gig on the gridiron any time soon. But given the number of times a crowd of over 9,000 stood as one on Sunday with each softball swatted beyond the fence, Maye shouldn’t be so quick to discredit his athletic achievements outside of football.
When it comes to slugging softballs, the 23-year-old quarterback chose to deflect the praise to his wife, Ann Michael Maye.
“Her [batting average] is better than mine,” Drake said of his wife. “Great athlete.”
Together, the Mayes gathered an All-Star crew of current and former Boston sports stars, celebrities, and other noteworthy names at the Worcester Red Sox’ ballpark on Sunday for a great cause — the inaugural MayeDaye Family Foundation Celebrity Softball Classic.
The charity game marked the kick-off event for the foundation, which was launched in late March to support various programs and initiatives in New England and the couple’s home state of North Carolina.
Sunday’s event benefited Boston Children’s Hospital, with the Mayes presenting a check for $80,000 for the hospital ahead of first pitch. The Mayes also made additional donations for each softball launched over the fence — with 70 total dingers equating to an additional $94,000 in donations.
Sunday was a sold-out event, with fans donning Patriots gear and “I [Heart] Drake Maye” t-shirts packing into Polar Park to see their favorite sports stars.
“We’re so excited to be here and able to do this and help the kids at Boston Children’s Hospital,” Ann Michael Maye said of Sunday’s game. “We’re looking forward to being competitive out here, having fun, playing some softball. … I feel like this is an idea Drake kind of had.”
“Obviously super competitive, has four brothers, they’re always thinking of ways they can compete in different ways, and softball is a relatively low-risk one.”
There was no shortage of celebrity appearances as part of Sunday’s event, with Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and cornerback Christian Gonzalez coaching Team Patriots and Team Sox, respectively, while both Drake and Ann Michael Maye served as the hosts for the evening.
Beyond Maye and Gonzalez, there were multiple other current Patriots out on the diamond Sunday: tackle Will Campbell, tight end Hunter Henry, wide receiver Romeo Doubs, wide receiver DeMario Douglas, guard Mike Onwenu, running back Rhamondre Stevenson, quarterback Tommy DeVito, wide receiver Mack Hollins, linebacker Robert Spillane, cornerback Marcus Jones, center Jared Wilson, and fullback Jack Westover.
“I appreciate Drake allowing me to be a part of something like this,” Jones said. “He understands the situation [and] the value of whenever it comes down to kids in the community. I love to do those things. So being able to do this at this type of level and then also having all the support means a lot.”
There were representatives from several other sports as well, including Bruins legend Zdeno Chara, Patriots great Julian Edelman, Boston Fleet skaters Megan Keller and Jill Saulnier, San Jose Sharks forward Will Smith, and Seattle Kraken forward Matt Beniers.
Maye’s three brothers — Beau, Cole, and Luke — also participated, along with comedian Matt Rife and Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy.
“I just kind of grabbed some names,” Drake Maye said of building the rosters. “Spillane and Marcus are saying I stacked my own roster.”
In a refreshing change of pace from the local baseball club, there was no shortage of homers on Sunday.
Sunday’s charity event started with a bang with a Home Run Derby, which eventually went to Will Smith (despite tying Maye for the most big flies in the final round).
A “Golden Arm” competition — where participants had to fire a softball in from left field and knock over a bat near the first-base line — was seemingly destined to carry late into the night until DeMario Douglas took home the title with two successful knock-downs.
A few droplets didn’t dampen the mood at a rowdy Polar Park once the seven-inning showcase began.
And any hope of Sunday’s game being a light-hearted affair quickly fell to the wayside once the game began.
Both Team Patriots and Team Sox traded salvos throughout the evening with four-bagger after four-bagger, with Doubs among several outfielders who tumbled over the fencing in a vain effort to corral a smoked softball.
Mack Hollins — striding up to the plate barefoot — connected on several homers, while the loudest cheers came when the proclaimed “Queen of the North” in Ann Michael Maye stepped up to the plate en route to a few base hits.
Ann Michael Maye — who became both an internet sensation and a beloved member of the Patriots community this past season for her baking videos on social media — reflected on how quickly she and her husband have been embraced in New England.
“It’s all been such a whirlwind,” Ann Michael Maye said. “I feel like everything happened so, so fast. I mean, I was literally in college two years ago today, probably — so it’s so crazy. But it’s so cool to see all the people, and everyone has just been so great, so kind to us, and received us so well. And so we’ve grown to love this place in a short amount of time.”
Drake Maye was quick to make a joke over his pronunciation of Worcester ahead of Sunday’s eventual 17-16 win for Team Sox.
Final: Team Sox defeats Team Patriots 17-16. Team Patriots comeback effort ends with the tying run on third as Christian Gonzalez makes the play. pic.twitter.com/WBJK2lf5Zq
— Brian Hines (@iambrianhines) June 1, 2026
But the North Carolina native echoed his wife’s sentiments over just how quickly New England has started to feel like home.
“They’ve embraced us since I got drafted,” Maye said. “I really love these fans, love playing for them. I love getting to meet them. Hopefully [I] sign some more tonight, and just thankful to be here. I think it shows when you bring some energy back to the city and all sports, how much this city loves sports.”
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye smiles after competing in the home run derby during the celebrity softball game benefitting the MayeDay Family Foundation at Polar Park on May 31, 2026 in Worcester. (Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff)
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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