The Chicago White Sox have been named one of four finalists for the 2017 ESPN Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year Award for Amateur City Elite (ACE), a youth baseball program created to offer rising stars in the inner-city community the opportunity to play baseball while preparing for success both on and off the field.
The award recognizes teams that demonstrate how teamwork can create a measurable impact in the community. Teams and clubs across all sports were nominated for the award based on their commitment and impact in their respective communities. The winner will be announced during an award ceremony at L.A. LIVE's The Novo on Tuesday, July 11, and showcased during an hour-long program on ESPN on Tuesday, July 25.
As a finalist, White Sox Charities will receive a donation of $25,000 for its youth baseball programs. The winner will be awarded a $100,000 grant from ESPN to support its humanitarian work.
The White Sox created ACE in 2007 to reverse the declining interest and participation in baseball among African-Americans and to prepare each participant to succeed in life beyond the field. More than 150 inner-city youth participate each year. Ninety-nine percent of participants graduate high school, which is 25 percent higher than the 2015-2016 Chicago Public Schools graduation rate. Additionally, 148 college scholarships have been earned by ACE participants to schools like Louisville, Michigan and Vanderbilt, and 19 players have been drafted by MLB teams, including Corey Ray in the first round last year. In a city plagued by gun violence, the ACE program serves a source of hope and inspiration for the community. For more information about ACE, please visit whitesoxcharities.org.