ANAHEIM -- When Matthew Shoemaker was approached by the Taylor Hooton Foundation several years ago, he said it was a "no-brainer" to support its mission of spreading awareness among youth baseball players about the dangers of performance-enhancing substances.
Shoemaker currently represents the Angels on the Taylor Hooton Foundation's advisory board, which includes a record 38 MLB players from 28 clubs. This year, Shoemaker also participated in a public-service campaign called "It's All Me" to encourage young athletes to steer clear of performance-enhancing drugs.
"It's just great for what it is," Shoemaker said Sunday. "Trying to keep performance-enhancing drugs out of this game. Everybody plays natural and keeps an even playing field. It's a special game, and when guys play it the way they can play it, the best guys are here. Let's just go out there and play and have fun."
The family and friends of Taylor Hooton created the foundation in 2004 after his death at just 17 years old, following his use of anabolic steroids. The advisory board was formed in '14 and is fully endorsed by Major League Baseball.
In addition to their participation in the public-service campaigns, advisory board members also take part in the foundation's educational activities in their local communities. To date, the Taylor Hooton Foundation has spoken to and educated more than one million people, including young athletes throughout Latin American and the Caribbean.
"I 100 percent agree with everything they're doing, so I'll definitely be involved," Shoemaker said. "That's a no-brainer given what they stand for."