“Clawing out” cancer with The Commish

Meet James—also known as FKNCommishLB, or “The Commish”—a man whose combined passion for baseball and gaming has made him a heavy-hitter in the livestream community and a beacon of hope for patients at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

James’s journey into livestreaming began in 2016 with the “The Fluffy Kitty Ninjas Show,” a segment inspired by Saturday morning cartoons and named by his then-12-year-old daughter. What started as a fun pastime for the Biddeford, Maine, native evolved during the pandemic into a dedicated pursuit, giving rise to the Electronic Major League Baseball 2.0 (eMLB 2.0) Universe. By 2022, James had proudly earned the title of Twitch Partner. He is currently on track to reach a staggering 4 million minutes of content watched by dedicated followers.

James, a self-proclaimed “baseball guy,” brings the magic of the ballpark to his viewers, weaving narratives between pitches and diving into the intricacies of the game. Whether discussing the latest unstoppable player or the underdog’s journey, James always has America’s favorite pastime at the heart of his content.

Since 2020, James has been raising funds for Dana-Farber through his annual “Fluffy Kitty Ninjas Charity Streamathon.” It initially began as a one-time event to “strike out cancer” for pediatric patients after his son lost a third-grade classmate to the disease. It has since grown into so much more.

“I’ve known the Jimmy Fund since my first memories of watching Red Sox games,” James says. “I remember Ted Williams passionately supporting Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund, and I always felt a connection to it.”

To date, James’ charity streams have amassed more than $32,500, with a goal of hitting the $50,000 mark this year. The mission became even more personal to James when, less than three weeks after he hosted last year’s streamathon, his wife, Tanya, was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“The strongest person I have ever met—the person I have the privilege of calling my best friend—is battling this disease,” James says of Tanya. “I now have a deeper purpose and focus on my task. The entire Fluffy Kitty Ninja community wants to ‘Claw Out Cancer’!”

This August, James will host another charity streamathon packed with games and giveaways. The event will coincide with the opening day of the new eMLB season and will feature baseball challenges as well as gaming competitions with his wife and kids.

For anyone thinking about hosting their own Jimmy Fund charity stream, James offers a bit of advice. “People want to support the effort. I don’t care how much they raise, I only care that they are trying to help as best as they can. Put a plan in place, spread the word, and above all else: have fun, tell your story, and believe in yourself!”

Join James in his quest to “Claw Out Cancer.” Livestream for Jimmy Fund Let’s Game to support The Dana-Farber Campaign, our ambitious, multi-year fundraising effort to prevent, treat, and defy cancer. The Dana-Farber Campaign will accelerate the Institute’s strategic priorities by supporting revolutionary science, extraordinary care, and exceptional expertise. As a community, we have the power to create a more hopeful, cancer-free future—in Boston and around the world. Together, we can defy cancer at every turn. Learn more about The Dana-Farber Campaign and how you can get involved at DefyCancer.org.