Bob Feller Act of Valor Foundation invites nominations for annual award

WASHINGTON, DC - The start of the baseball season is also the start of the nominations process for the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Foundation from each MLB team. The award honors the legacy of Bob Feller, who sacrificed almost four full seasons in the prime years of his career to serve with honor in the United States Navy during World War II.

The Foundation uses the Bob Feller story to educate the youth of today on the lessons of citizenship, service, sacrifice and legacy. Teaching the legacy of the greatest generation to the youngest generation will help instill in them the virtue of service to others.

The Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Foundation selects three deserving recipients that symbolize the three signature accomplishments of Bob Feller's life:

• Active major league baseball player: Recognizing Feller's 18-year pitching career with 266 career wins, ranking him 37^th despite his loss of time due to the war
• Serving Chief Petty Officer in the US Navy: Recognizing Feller's wartime rank when he served as a gun captain on the battleship USS ALABAMA, earning eight battle stars. Feller voluntarily enlisted just days after the attack on Pearl Harbor; when asked later in life what his greatest victory was, he would always reply, "World War II."
• Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame: Recognizing Feller's first-ballot selection to the Hall in 1962. In that year Feller, along with Jackie Robinson, became the first to be selected in their first year of eligibility since the inaugural Hall of Fame class of 1936

MLB clubs are invited to submit nominations in the two categories of Active MLB Player and Hall of Fame Member in advance of the May 15, 2015 deadline. Nominees must reflect the values, integrity, and dedication to serving our country that Bob Feller himself possessed. In addition to Feller, more than 500 MLB players served during the time of World War II including 34 Hall of Famers. Previous recipients of the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award were Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers, Yogi Berra and Chief Petty Officer Garth Sinclair. The 2014 recipients were Nick Swisher of the Cleveland Indians, Tommy Lasorda, and Senior Chief Petty Officer Carl Thompson.

The Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization, dedicated to educating our youth about the Core Values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment to build the foundation of trust and leadership upon which strength of character is based and victory is achieved.