Colorado Springs, Colo. - The Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA) is pleased to announce Ian Kinsler as the Detroit Tigers 2017 Heart and Hustle Award winner. This esteemed award honors active players who demonstrate a passion for the game of baseball and best embody the values, spirit and traditions of the game. The Heart and Hustle Award is also the only award in Major League Baseball that is voted on by former players.
"For the third consecutive year, we are proud to present Ian with this award," said MLBPAA chief executive officer Dan Foster. "His effort both on and off the field, including his work with The Children's Center, embodies the spirit of this award."
The MLBPAA formed 30 committees, comprised of Alumni players with established relationships to each team. One player from each Major League team is chosen by the committees based on their passion, desire and work ethic demonstrated both on and off the field. These players will be recognized prior to an upcoming home game. As the season draws to a close, fans, all alumni and active players will vote to select the final winner from the 30 team winners. The previous overall winners are David Eckstein (2005), Craig Biggio (2006, 2007), Grady Sizemore (2008), Albert Pujols (2009), Roy Halladay (2010), Torii Hunter (2011), Mike Trout (2012), Dustin Pedroia (2013), Josh Harrison (2014), Anthony Rizzo (2015) and Todd Frazier (2016).
The final winner will be announced on November 14, 2017 at the 18^th Annual Legends for Youth Dinner in New York City. This event is the primary fundraiser for the series of free Legends for Youth Baseball Clinics. These clinics impact more than 16,000 children each year at 185 clinics, allowing them the unique opportunity to interact with and learn from players who have left a lasting impact on the game of baseball.
For more information regarding the Heart and Hustle Award, please contact Nikki Warner, Director of Communications, by e-mail at [email protected] or by calling (719) 477-1870, ext. 105.
To learn more about the MLBPAA, please visit www.baseballalumni.com and follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@MLBPAA). The official hashtag for this award is #HeartandHustle.
About The Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA)
MLBPAA was founded in 1982 with the mission of promoting baseball, raising money for charity and protecting the dignity of the game through its Alumni players. The MLBPAA is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado with a membership of 7,800, of which approximately 6,100 are Alumni and active players. MLBPAA's Legends for Youth clinics impact more than 16,000 children each year, allowing them the unique opportunity to interact with and learn from players who have left a lasting impact on the game of baseball. Alumni players find the MLBPAA to be a vital tool to become involved in charity and community philanthropy.