‘Glocks and Glazers’ take bragging rights in Guns N’ Hoses blowout
By Brandi Makuski
PLOVER — Firefighters and cops from around Portage County traded their uniforms for ball caps over the weekend, meeting on the softball field for the annual Guns N’ Hoses fundraiser for local veterans.
This year’s event at Veterans Memorial Park was set up tournament-style. Two firefighter teams played for a spot in the championship, while two law enforcement teams did the same on the other side of the bracket. That set up the traditional fire-versus-law enforcement finale.
There were big plays on both sides, but the championship itself wasn’t particularly close. The law enforcement squad, playing under the name “Glocks and Glazers,” rolled to a 19-1 win over the firefighters’ “Hoses,” giving law enforcement a 7-4 advantage in the all-time series and extending its winning streak to five games.
What started as a local event in 2014 has grown considerably over the years, with nearly every first responder agency in Portage County now taking part. This year’s field included officers from the Stevens Point, Plover and UW-Stevens Point police departments and the Portage County Sheriff’s Office. Firefighters came from Stevens Point, Plover, Dewey, Hull, Amherst, Rudolph and other area departments.
The rivalry is for fun, but the money raised goes to veteran causes. Guns N’ Hoses has brought in more than $150,000 since 2014 for Never Forgotten Honor Flight, the Portage County Veterans Emergency Services Fund and other programs benefiting local veterans. Proceeds also support Dream Flights.
The firefighters — Team Hoses — won the first three games, from 2014 through 2016, before law enforcement’s Team Guns picked up its first win in 2017. Hoses won again in 2018, but Guns took the 2019 game. No game was held in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizers held a cookout instead of a game in 2021 before softball returned in 2022.
Team Guns hasn’t lost since. Law enforcement won 21-7 in 2022, 16-5 in 2023, and 20-12 in 2024. The 2025 game was considerably tighter, with Team Guns hanging on for a 24-23 win.
Donations can be made anytime at the Portage County Sheriff’s Office, 1500 Strongs Ave.; Stevens Point Police Department, 933 Michigan Ave.; Plover Police Department, 2420 Post Road; or Stevens Point Fire Department, 1701 Franklin St.
Donations can also be mailed to the Guns N’ Hoses Fund, c/o Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin, 2801 Hoover Road, Stevens Point, WI 54481, or made online.