Royals donate items to Play Ball auction

Meet and greet with Yost and Moore among items fans can bid on to benefit charity of late Mets PR executive

December 5th, 2016

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. -- Royals vice president of communications Mike Swanson fondly recalls Shannon Forde as "family."
"She was like a sister," Swanson said. "She always made you feel like you were very important in her life. She just put people first. Every time I saw her, she had to see pictures of my daughter [Rachel].
"She was a just a very warm person who will be missed by all who ever came in contact with her."
Forde, a Mets public relations executive, died at the age of 44 last spring from breast cancer. Major League Baseball, MLB Advanced Media and the MLB Network presently are participating in a Play Ball auction of memorabilia and experiences to help fund the Shannon Forde Field in Little Falls, N.J.
The Royals are auctioning off three experiences: a meet and greet during Spring Training with general manager Dayton Moore, manager Ned Yost and players; an ultimate broadcast experience; and being a team photographer for a day. These items are available for bidding at mlb.com/Shannon.
"It's great to be able to contribute in some way," Swanson said. "It's the absolute least we can do."