D-backs Legend Luis Gonzalez To Accept Bobby Murcer Award Tonight

PHOENIX –Arizona Diamondbacks legend Luis Gonzalez will accept the 2012 National League Bobby Murcer Award, presented by the Baseball Assistance Team (B.A.T.), on behalf of D-backs players at the 24th annual “Going to Bat for B.A.T. Fundraising Dinner” tonight at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square.

In 2009, B.A.T. established the award in honor of the late Bobby Murcer who served as B.A.T. Chairman, MLB All-Star and Yankees legend. The award is presented to the team in both the American League and National League whose players commit the most amount of money to B.A.T. during the Spring Training Fundraising Tour. This is the first time the D-backs have received the award.

The Baseball Assistance Team (B.A.T.) will honor legendary Hall of Famer Yogi Berra and pitchers Johan Santana of the New York Mets and Joba Chamberlain of the New York Yankees will be recognized with the Big B.A.T./Frank Slocum Award and Bart Giamatti Award, respectively, while Grammy Award-winning recording artist Chrisette Michele will perform the National Anthem.

The “Going to Bat for B.A.T. Fundraising Dinner” is the largest fundraising event for the Baseball Assistance Team, which is an organization dedicated to helping members of the Baseball Family who are in need.  At the dinner, fans are given the opportunity to interact with Baseball Hall of Famers, and former and current Major League Baseball players while raising money to go toward assisting members of the Baseball Family who have fallen on hard times. All proceeds from the evening go to the Baseball Assistance Team.

B.A.T. was founded in 1986 by former Commissioner Peter Ueberroth, a group of former players and Major League Baseball. The organization is dedicated to assisting members of the Baseball Family through financial grants, healthcare programs and rehabilitative counseling. More than $28 million in grants have been awarded, to date, benefiting more than 3,000 members of the Baseball Family who are in need of assistance with nowhere else to turn. All aid provided by B.A.T. is strictly confidential allowing those in the need to receive help discreetly. For more information about B.A.T., to purchase tickets for the Dinner or to make a donation, please call 212-931-7821 or visit: BaseballAssistanceTeam.com.