Boots and Badges Honor the Fallen, Celebrate Community's Drive to Knock out Cancer

Saturday marked the second year in a row that the Law Dawgs reigned over the Smoke Eaters to win the third annual Boots and Badges charity basketball game 57 to 50. ( to read last year's recap)

The Smoke Eaters, comprised of ten local firefighters, actually pulled into the lead near the end of the game, said Black Diamond Police Sgt. Brian Lynch, the event organizer. But the Law Dawgs -- 10 area law enforcement officers -- were just too tough, Lynch said.

The win for the boys (and girls) in blue is nice, of course, but for Lynch, the better news was that the event, which is part of the fundraising effort for the Law Dawgs Enumclaw Relay for Life team, raised more than $7,600. It is "our best single event ever," he said in an email to Patch.

In its first two years, the games helped Lynch and his team raise about $15,000. ()

This year's game was played in honor of two men in particular who were recognized in the game program: Enumclaw police and Seattle firefighter Jeffrey Birt who, at age 36, died of esophageal cancer in May 2011.

Photographs of Robinson and Birt sat on the benches of both the Law Dawgs and the Smoke Eaters as reminders for why the game was necessary in the first place.

The event's major sponsor was McGann Electric (www.mcgannelectric.com). The following local businesses also had a hand in making the event possible:

• The Cenex Gas Station of Black Diamond
• The Loft Salon in Black Diamond
• Moneyman Pawn Shop
• Boots Tavern
• The Black Diamond Police Officers Assocation
• Seattle PD Sgt. Joe Bauer and his wife Sue Bauer, in memory of Maxine Bauer
• Western Washington Basketball Officials Association
• Heavy Hammer
• Mama Passarelli's Dinner House
• Enumclaw Fire Local #3931
• Taichi Chuanfa Kung Fu School of Puyallup
• Larry and Cynthia Cripe in memory of E.J. Wilson
• Walter and Teresa Kostecka
• Black Diamond Cub Scouts Pack 581

To make a donation to the LawDawgs Relay for Life team, click here.