Hundreds of people took part in the third annual CT3 Polar Plunge at the Manhattan Beach Pier on Sunday, Feb. 1 – all for good causes and a nice dip in the Pacific Ocean.
Former Los Angeles Dodgers all-star and two-time World Champion utilityman Chris Taylor and his wife, Mary, were joined by current and former teammates to raise money for the Taylors’ CT3 Foundation, the Friendship Foundation in the South Bay and the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation.
“It means the world to me that they still show up this event,” Chris Taylor said in an interview prior to the plunge. “It wouldn’t be what it is if they didn’t support it. I think a lot of people are here because they’re excited about the Dodgers and baseball and sports, and it really means a lot that they come.”
Before taking the plunge, Mary Taylor thanked the crowd.
“Chris and I started this foundation back in 2020 and since then, we’ve been able to raise money for so many amazing nonprofits in our communities,” she said, “and that’s because of all of you guys.”
One of the beneficiaries is the Friendship Foundation, which is close to finishing its 62,000 square-foot Friendship Campus in Redondo Beach. The campus will benefit youth and young adults who are neurodivergent, and help them foster independent life skills through vocational programs.
“This is going to change the lives of thousands of young children and adults who are on the spectrum that deserve to be a part of our beautiful society,” Friendship Foundation cofounder and Executive Director Yossi Mintz said at the event. “We come together today with all these superstars; they care more, not just about themselves, but about everybody else, to make a difference in this world.”
Danielle Fragalla, CEO at PCRF, said events like the plunge are crucial.
“With the federal funding being declined even further,” she said, “today is more important than ever to be able to support more funding in this field.”
Hundreds gather to take part in the 3rd ever Polar Plunge event hosted by the CT3 Foundation on February 1st, 2026 in Manhattan Beach, CA. (Photo by Gil Castro-Petres, Contributing Photographer)
Hundreds gather to take part in the 3rd ever Polar Plunge event hosted by the CT3 Foundation on February 1st, 2026 in Manhattan Beach, CA. (Photo by Gil Castro-Petres, Contributing Photographer)
Hundreds gather to take part in the 3rd ever Polar Plunge event hosted by the CT3 Foundation on February 1st, 2026 in Manhattan Beach, CA. (Photo by Gil Castro-Petres, Contributing Photographer)
Chris Taylor speaks before the 3rd ever Polar Plunge event hosted by the CT3 Foundation on February 1st, 2026 in Manhattan Beach, CA. (Photo by Gil Castro-Petres, Contributing Photographer)
Chris Taylor and his wife Mary speak before the 3rd ever Polar Plunge event hosted by the CT3 Foundation on February 1st, 2026 in Manhattan Beach, CA. (Photo by Gil Castro-Petres, Contributing Photographer)
Former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Jonny DeLuca, Dodgers pitcher Emmet Sheehan, former Dodgers utility man Chris Taylor and Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow, pictured at the third annual ‘CT3 Polar Plunge’ next to the Manhattan Beach Pier. Taylor and wife Mary hosted the event that raises funds for various causes. (photo by Michael Hixon/SCNG)
Chris Taylor and other MLB players pose after taking part in the 3rd ever Polar Plunge event hosted by the CT3 Foundation on February 1st, 2026 in Manhattan Beach, CA. (Photo by Gil Castro-Petres, Contributing Photographer)
The third annual ‘CT3 Polar Plunge’ took place next to the Manhattan Beach Pier on Feb. 1, 2026. Chris Taylor, formerly of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and wife Mary, hosted the event that raised funds for various causes. (photo by Michael Hixon/SCNG)
Hundreds gather to take part in the 3rd ever Polar Plunge event hosted by the CT3 Foundation on February 1st, 2026 in Manhattan Beach, CA. (Photo by Gil Castro-Petres, Contributing Photographer)
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith, pitcher Tyler Glasnow and former Dodgers utilityman Chris Taylor are pictured at the third annual ‘CT3 Polar Plunge,’ which took place next to the Manhattan Beach Pier on Feb. 1, 2026. Taylo and wife Mary, hosted the event that raised funds for various causes. (photo by Michael Hixon/SCNG)
Friendship Foundation president Yossi Mintz speaks before the 3rd ever Polar Plunge event hosted by the CT3 Foundation on February 1st, 2026 in Manhattan Beach, CA. (Photo by Gil Castro-Petres, Contributing Photographer)
The third annual ‘CT3 Polar Plunge’ took place next to the Manhattan Beach Pier on Feb. 1, 2026. Chris Taylor, formerly of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and wife Mary, hosted the event that raised funds for various causes. (photo by Michael Hixon/SCNG)
Hundreds gather to take part in the 3rd ever Polar Plunge event hosted by the CT3 Foundation on February 1st, 2026 in Manhattan Beach, CA. (Photo by Gil Castro-Petres, Contributing Photographer)
The third annual ‘CT3 Polar Plunge’ took place next to the Manhattan Beach Pier on Feb. 1, 2026. Chris Taylor, formerly of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and wife Mary, hosted the event that raised funds for various causes. (photo by Michael Hixon/SCNG)
The third annual ‘CT3 Polar Plunge’ took place next to the Manhattan Beach Pier on Feb. 1, 2026. Chris Taylor, formerly of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and wife Mary, hosted the event that raised funds for various causes. (photo by Michael Hixon/SCNG)
Hundreds gather to take part in the 3rd ever Polar Plunge event hosted by the CT3 Foundation on February 1st, 2026 in Manhattan Beach, CA. (Photo by Gil Castro-Petres, Contributing Photographer)
Hundreds gather to take part in the 3rd ever Polar Plunge event hosted by the CT3 Foundation on February 1st, 2026 in Manhattan Beach, CA. (Photo by Gil Castro-Petres, Contributing Photographer)
Hundreds gather to take part in the 3rd ever Polar Plunge event hosted by the CT3 Foundation on February 1st, 2026 in Manhattan Beach, CA. (Photo by Gil Castro-Petres, Contributing Photographer)
Hundreds gather to take part in the 3rd ever Polar Plunge event hosted by the CT3 Foundation on February 1st, 2026 in Manhattan Beach, CA. (Photo by Gil Castro-Petres, Contributing Photographer)
Hundreds gather to take part in the 3rd ever Polar Plunge event hosted by the CT3 Foundation on February 1st, 2026 in Manhattan Beach, CA. (Photo by Gil Castro-Petres, Contributing Photographer)
Hundreds gather to take part in the 3rd ever Polar Plunge event hosted by the CT3 Foundation on February 1st, 2026 in Manhattan Beach, CA. (Photo by Gil Castro-Petres, Contributing Photographer)
Hundreds gather to take part in the 3rd ever Polar Plunge event hosted by the CT3 Foundation on February 1st, 2026 in Manhattan Beach, CA. (Photo by Gil Castro-Petres, Contributing Photographer)
Hundreds gather to take part in the 3rd ever Polar Plunge event hosted by the CT3 Foundation on February 1st, 2026 in Manhattan Beach, CA. (Photo by Gil Castro-Petres, Contributing Photographer)
Hundreds gather to take part in the 3rd ever Polar Plunge event hosted by the CT3 Foundation on February 1st, 2026 in Manhattan Beach, CA. (Photo by Gil Castro-Petres, Contributing Photographer)
Show Caption
1 of 24
Hundreds gather to take part in the 3rd ever Polar Plunge event hosted by the CT3 Foundation on February 1st, 2026 in Manhattan Beach, CA. (Photo by Gil Castro-Petres, Contributing Photographer)
All-star catcher Will Smith, who hit the eventual game-winning home run in the top of the 11th inning during Game 7 of the 2025 World Series, was among the attendees – taking the plunge for the second time.
“Chris and Mary, they do so much good here in L.A.; they’re are dear friends of our too,” Smith said. “So just supporting them, supporting their causes, and raise some money.”
Pitcher Emmet Sheehan was also at the plunge to support Chris Taylor, who he called a “great teammate.”
The Dodgers, meanwhile, also helped launch the 2026 season with the annual DodgerFest on Saturday, Jan. 31 – so many of Taylor’s former teammates had a busy weekend.
“It’s always nice because you get to come out and see your teammates,” Sheehan said. “And obviously the fans, that’s the best part, is getting to interact with them and feel the support up close and in person.”
Pitcher Tyler Glasnow said that following DodgerFest, everyone’s excited to get going” for a potential three-peat – and that interaction with fans continued at the plunge.
“I know how much they love it,” Glasnow said of the Taylors. “They put so much work into it. It’s such a meaningful cause, coming out and supporting friends and all the fans out here.”
Also joining the cause were Dodgers pitcher Ben Casperius, former Dodgers outfielder Jonny DeLuca, and veteran Travis d’Arnaud, who played with the Dodgers in 2019 and spent the 2025 season with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Kyle and Jared Karros, sons of former Dodgers star Eric Karros, also took the plunge.
Jared Karros, a pitcher, was drafted by the Dodgers in 2022 in the 16th round and is currently in their minor league system. Kyle Karros made his major league debut in 2025 as a third baseman for the Colorado Rockies. Both graduated from Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach.
Following the plunge, a VIP event was hosted by Shade Hotel in Manhattan Beach, which featured a silent auction and more to raise more funds for the CT3 Foundation.
At the event, Taylor said he was inspired when he met a child battling brain cancer at Dodger Stadium during batting practice one day.
“It’s easy for us to take for granted that we get to live healthy, normal lives, with jobs and friends and schools and sports and so on,” Taylor said at the VIP event. “This is not the case for everyone. It’s painful for me to even think about either one of my sons and the ‘C’ word. Unfortunately for many parents, that is the hard truth.”
The Taylors recently welcomed a second son.
Melissa Atwood’s son Kai, whom Taylor was inspired by, was diagnosed with brain cancer at 7 months old.
“People are often shocked to hear that pediatric cancer receives less than 4% of federal research funding and for rare rain tumors like Kai’s, that number gets smaller, Atwood said at the VIP event. “It shrinks further to less than 1%.
“All the surgeries, all the radiation, all the chemotherapy, all the immunotherapy, and it goes on and on and on in his short 5 years,” Atwood added. “It’s the reason why for many kids with rare tumors, reaching the fifth birthday is considered a miracle. And make no mistake, Kai is an absolute miracle.”
Taylor said he had been “drawn to Kai’s own personality and his contagious smile.”
“He and his brother were both on top of the world in that moment, getting to meet many of their heroes and imagine that they were getting ready to play in that Dodgers game that night,” Taylor said. “As I was interacting with them, I couldn’t believe this little boy who was smiling from ear to ear was going through something so traumatic. I think we could all learn something from Kai’s joy for life and his ability to live in the moment.”
Taylor is a free agent, just weeks before the start of Spring Training. He spent the 2025 season between the World Champion Dodgers and the Los Angeles Angels.
For more information, visit ct3foundation.org.