Jeff, a native of Chillicothe, graduated from IVC in 1989. After graduating, he joined the Air Force where he met and married Lori, his wife. Jeff and Lori had two children; Brooke and Bradley. In 2003, Brad was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a rare form of childhood bone cancer. After 41 weeks of chemotherapy, numerous operations and hospital stays, and a leg amputation, the cancer had metastasized to his lungs. In 2004 after 13 months of fighting cancer, at the age of 11, Brad quietly passed away with his parents and sister by his side.
    In 2005, Jeff and Lori decided to start a baseball memorial tournament in Brad’s name to raise awareness of childhood cancer and money for the St. Jude Research Hospital. Even at a young age, Brad was a gifted baseball player. He was so good he played above his age category and he dreamed of being a professional baseball player someday. The tournament started out with just 10 teams that year. The tournament has grown expeditiously every year and in 2008 they became affiliated with St. Jude.
    This year the tournament had 365 teams—they played 700 games on 37 fields during the 5 day event. Fields are in Chillicothe, Rome, Mossville, Lacon, Dunlap, Morton, and East Peoria. Local businesses look forward to the extra income from the teams being in the area. Teams come from all over Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, and Missouri to participate in this unique experience.
    It takes hundreds of volunteers to put on a tournament of this size, Jeff McMorrow, who is the Volunteer Coordinator tells us; everyone has a job, a position and knows what they are doing. They have game coordinators, scorekeepers, check in receptionists, umpire coordinators, schedule coordinators and floats, that do whatever or go wherever they need to fill in. It is a very organized event. Although rain delays sometimes slows them down, they get the games played. Jeff is adamant that without the many volunteers it could never happen. They do all the work—they make it happen every year.
    Each year Jeff talks to the kids about Brad. He wants the kids to know what the tournament is all about and that they are doing something, playing baseball, that a lot of other kids can no longer do. He tells them that they are blessed to be able to run and play baseball. Jeff tells them that there will be a 10th player out on the field each day. “You can believe that Brad will be right out there with you as you play each game.” A lot of the teams visit Brad’s grave while they are in town. The headstone is shaped as a Baseball Diamond with a ball and bat on it. The back of the stone says; #14 Safe At Home....We will see you soon.
    In 2013, the BWMT debuted a 35 minute documentary entitled “Safe At Home” the Brad Wallin Story. The film’s message theme is about a young boy whose life inspires kids to play and love the sport of baseball. The film is played at the Chillicothe Optimist’s Town Theatre throughout the 5 days of the tournament. Jeff urges the coaches and parents to take the boys to the theatre to see the movie between games, so they can see what it’s all about. In 2020 this film won the best documentary at the Colorado Short Circuit film festival.
    August 6th will be the St. Jude run. Chillicothe runners as well as runners from around the state will run to raise money for the Research Hospital that day. The run will culminate in Peoria at the Peoria Civic Center for the St. Jude telethon, and the total for this year’s tournament will be announced. To date the total raised by the tournament and runners is $1,207,513.93.
    Every year Jeff tells the kids, “It’s not if you win or lose in baseball and in life....it’s how you play the game.” And Brad played the game of baseball and of life with all his heart.
    Contributions to St. Jude can be made to: Brad Wallin Memorial Tournament/ Better Banks in Chillicothe.