LSU football fans have a chance to win their own “piece of history” in a contest whose proceeds will help fund cancer treatment.
Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center — a nonprofit treatment and research facility with an office in Baton Rouge — will raffle $25 chances to win a game ball from the 2004 Sugar Bowl in which the Tigers won the 2003 BCS National Championship.
To register for a chance to win the ball, fans can go to www.wintheball.com starting Monday.
The LSU football program donated the ball to the Perkins Center in memory of Jeff Boss, the equipment manager for the Tiger football team who died in October from brain cancer.
Boss’ wife Karen said in a news release that she would want anyone with cancer to get the same “dignity and respect” Jeff received at the Perkins center.
“Jeff was an integral part of LSU,” said Karen Boss. “After he got sick, he continued working. He told me he chose to live the rest of his life this way — going to work where he could help other people.”
Sally Garner, the Perkins Center events director, said this contest is an exclusive chance for fans to own “a little piece of history.”
“It’s the only game ball that’s actually available to anyone,” she said.
Garner said the football team “went to the trouble” of putting aside the ball specifically for the Perkins Center during the game.
Todd Stevens, the Perkins Center chief executive officer, said in a news release that the money raised through the raffle will go toward “the fight against cancer as a legacy to Boss.”
“Our two best weapons against cancer are prevention and finding a cancer early so we can treat it,” Stevens said. “This gift will allow us to bring education, screening and prevention programs that can impact lives to more people in our community.”
Tory Hebert, a computer analyst in the College of Education, said he thought the fundraiser was “a good idea” because of high interest in LSU football, but he had some concerns.
“I like the idea behind it, but I don’t know how much interest they’re going to get for a $25 price,” Hebert said.
Alex Burke, an English junior, said he is glad money will go to help cancer research, but he feels it is sad that it takes sports to get people to pay attention.
“It’s clever and efficient,” Burke said. “[But] the whole thing seems to be framed around people being sports fans.”
For more information about how to win the Sugar Bowl game ball, call Garner at 215-1207.