Chicago White Sox’s philanthropic organization the ‘Chicago White Sox Volunteer Corps’ recently received the acclamation of its benevolent services by Commissioner MLB Bud Selig. In a recent news published in the media White Sox received the prestigious
‘Commissioner’s Award for Philanthropic Excellence’, an annual award that commenced in 2010 and is given to the Major league undergoing the best voluntary community services.
White Sox is now the owner of the first ever philanthropy excellence award introduced by MLB. If we take a keen look at Major League Baseball (MLB) as an organization, we will realize that apart from a sporting entity earning millions of dollars every year,
they are also intensely involved and active in philanthropic activities. I believe that after going through the initiatives taken by MLB just to spread awareness, good health, sporting activities, spirit of sportsmanship and other esteemed aspects among the
nationals, MLB is definitely the biggest organization performing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) services.
With a total of 15 programs under the umbrella of MLB Community, MLB has been sponsoring, donating and conducting events just to spread awareness among the masses regarding various aspects that are a big nuisance to some extent for the nation. The recent
most active participation was visible in the final playoff games between Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals in which out of 7 games 4 were dedicated to different causes.
Game 1 of the World Series playoff was dedicated solely to welcome the Veterans of war, to show solidarity with them, and to salute their families for the courage they have shown while their family members were away fighting for the nation and for the security
of the homeland.
Similarly Game 2 consisted of an award conferring ceremony. Known as the Roberto Clemente Award, this annual accolade is given to the individual who has been a role model and a good influence both on and off the field in aspects such as sportsman ship, and
community services. Game 2 commenced by deciding who will be the proud owner of the award named after the 12-time All-Star Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente. David Ortiz got it and the game went on.
Game 3 was dedicated to youth in which members of one of the most famous MLB program i.e. Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) and members of another organization having partnership with MLB i.e. Boys & Girls Clubs of America organized a gathering by
the theme name ‘Wanna Play?’. The concept of this initiative was to lead the young boys and girls aged between 6-12 to enhance their fitness and health, try their level best to take appropriate nutrition and make themselves fit just by learning the basic skills
of baseball and softball.
The program is still active whereas MLB has also initiated the determining and conferring of the RBI World Series Championship award. This award, in addition to the Robert Clemente Award, is given to the top leading teams in the Softball, Junior Baseball
and Senior Baseball division. RBI is Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities, an MLB initiative to spread baseball among the young ones and help them flourish in an ideal and favorable environment.
The 4th game became the most inspiring game since it was dedicated to all those individuals who are affected by CANCER. MLB has been an active organization in showing solidarity and bringing awareness among the masses regarding this disease. For this purpose
MLB called on SU2C, Stand Up to Cancer, a platform that has been intensely involved in determining different and latest medical treatments for the resolution and cure of this disease.
In the 4th game Mastercard, an MLB sponsor, presented a check of $4,125,000 whereas MLB has solely up till now donated a huge sum of $30million to SU2C. Another prolific aspect of MLB’s philanthropic efforts is visible by the fact that SU2C’s founding sponsor
was MLB.
Apart from all the above efforts that were just held in the month of October during the World Series Title game, MLB and its member leagues have been colossally involved in carrying out ventures. In the month of November only leagues such as Los Angeles
Angels, Houston Astros, Miami Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks, Kansas City Royals, Cleveland Indians, and New York Mets carried out various gatherings just to show their eagerness and the fact that they not only care about the different problems being faced
by the cities these leagues represent but also tend to resolve these community based problems by spreading good will word through Baseball.
Apart from MLB’s collective initiatives, individual major players of the league also carry out several programs just to spread cognizance in the society and help those who are underprivileged. A good example is the upcoming David Ortiz golf classic an event
that will be conducted from December 1-4 and the proceeds of which will directly benefit the David Ortiz Children Fund, now World Pediatric Project.
MLB has also been actively involved in bringing down the barriers and in removing the bifurcation and differentiation on the basis of color, breed and back ground, an ill that has been penetrating the nation deeply. Regarding this effort MLB Community initiated
the ‘Breaking Barriers’ program, a platform in which young children are taught the nine values of the first great black guy, Jackie Robinson, who penetrated MLB in the era when blacks weren’t given the respect and just that whites normally have.
Jackie Robinson, a Hall of Famer, brought an end to racial segregation, an aspect that deep rooted MLB in the 1880s and onwards. Robinson was brought to the major league by Dodgers’ in 1947. Breaking Barriers teaches young generation his famous nine rules
of success i.e. Determination, Commitment, Persistence, Integrity, Justice, Courage, Teamwork, Citizenship, and Excellence.
As per the norm, in the program children from grades 4-8 take part in an essay and poetry competition in which they express the difficulties they have faced in their own lives. The event was conducted on April 5 whereas the event was sponsored by Pittsburgh
Pirates. Robinson broke the color-line by placing his foot in the major league on April 15th.
MLB and its affiliated leagues try their level best to curb and resolve the issues popping up and rooting in the society. The league mostly targets children so that they can have a good, healthy and educated childhood which will eventually help them in later
life to become a gentle and exemplified person.
To end up the feature I would like to mention a noteworthy aspect which should be heralded i.e. the efforts of MLB and its affiliates should be exemplified because it’s not only MLB carrying the burden its all the 30 leagues, individually, as separate entities
that are parting with MLB and carrying their share of noble work initiating multiple programs despite of their busy schedule. They are either sponsoring it or funding it or are involved in raising funds for them.
MLB can be depicted as a trademark not in sports but also in the level of philanthropic services that the league, Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), the 30 National and American leagues and other affiliated sponsors of different beneficent
not-for-profit organizations have been performing and undergoing through past several years. Their efforts should be praised and appreciated by not only just words but also by taking part in their voluntary endeavors.