BUTLER TWP — Rain was falling and conditions were less than ideal.

The 14 people who showed up at Alameda Park Wednesday night to support The Potter Tour's attempt to break the Guinness World Record for most people playing catch at one time didn't care.

They were there for a purpose — not necessarily to set a record.

“I don't care about the record,” former Potter Tour player Espen Bonfardine said. “I'm here to support Coach (Jeff) Potter. That guy means a lot to me.”

Potter set up more than 30 sites across America Wednesday — connecting with each virtually — in an effort to break the world record while raising money for CureSearch at the same time.

CureSearch raises funds for research to fight pediatric cancer.

“That's the most important thing,” Missy Bonfardine, Espen's mother, said of the charity drive. “There are other organized groups of people around Butler playing catch as well. I know someone's home in Butler has a number of people participating.

“We had a downpour here minutes earlier. With good weather, a lot more would be out here, but we were doing this rain or shine.”

Bonfardine said Espen lost his father to cancer six years ago and “that was rough on him.”

The Potter Tour is a group of kids from neighboring states, including Pennsylvania, who travel to different communities for a month in the summer, putting on baseball clinics, playing baseball and doing work in the communities they visit.

Espen, 16, was a member of the Potter Tour in 2018 and 2019.

“My father died, I moved to Butler and moved in with my step-father ... that was a tough time in my life,” Espen said. “I was on the Tour and Coach Potter sat me down one night and we talked about it for 15 minutes.

“He helped me tremendously. He's a big part of my life.”

Bonfardine said that Potter “never took pity on him. He made sure he got his stuff in order. They still keep in touch.

“This whole thing tonight, it goes well beyond baseball.”

Former Butler baseball players Lance Slater and Ryan McLister were among those on hand playing catch in the rain. Slater recalled being 8 years old playing ball in the East Butler Baseball Association when the Potter Tour paid a visit.

“We were little kids and these high school kids spending time with us, teaching us things about baseball and just hanging out, it was a neat thing,” Slater said. “When I heard what they were doing here, I wanted to come support a good cause.

“If we wind up breaking a world record, that would be awesome.”

McLister said Slater called him and asked him to come along.

“I have no idea what the (Potter Tour) is about, but I know this is for a good cause and I'm happy to donate,” McLister said.

The Butler Lions Club secured the Lions Club shelter and the open grass field next to it for the proceedings. Everyone officially began playing catch at 7 p.m. and did so for 10 minutes.

Don Gibala, soon to be 78, is among the Lions Club members who played catch. Mike Winkler, the Butler Lions Club secretary, withstood the raindrops to play catch as well.

“CureSearch is one of the charitable groups we partner with, so this was a natural for us,” Gibala said.

He admitted he had not donned a ballglove since playing American Legion baseball nearly 60 years ago.

“This is the glove I used then,” he said, smiling, as he pounded his fist into the mitt. “I had an Eddie Mathews glove. He was my favorite player.

“It feels good to put this on again.”