Congratulations to our friends at the Kansas City Royals for being honored with the Allan H. Selig Award for Philanthropic Excellence. The Allan H. Selig Award for Philanthropic Excellence, formerly known as the Commissioner’s Award for Philanthropic Excellence, was created in 2010 to recognize the charitable and philanthropic efforts of MLB Clubs. Major League Baseball recognized the Royals’ efforts to use the Urban Youth Academy as a community resource during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Their efforts provide a model on how organizations can make a meaningful impact in under-served areas that were the most negatively affected by the pandemic”, Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. said. “Our entire organization is humbled by this award, especially as all 30 MLB clubs do impactful work in our communities,” John Sherman, Chairman and CEO of the Kansas City Royals, said, “I am grateful for the commitment and passion of our associates, and am inspired by their resiliency. There is much more to do. The work continues, with gratitude for the opportunity to support the region we love.” Teammates has had a great relationship with Kansas City since Garth wore the Royals uniform during Spring Training in 2004 and were proud to help financially with the Urban Youth Academy in 2017. We are thrilled to call you our Teammates. Read the complete MLB story

That number was officially retired by the Rockies on Saturday night, September 25th at Coors Field before Colorado’s game against the Giants, joining Todd Helton’s No. 17 and Jackie Robinson’s No. 42 on the façade of the second deck in right-center field. No Rockie will ever don No. 33 again. Seventeen days after he was officially inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as the first member of the Rockies, the second Canadian-born player (Fergie Jenkins is the other), and yes, the 333rd individual to be enshrined in Cooperstown, Walker was celebrated before the fans in the city where his Hall of Fame credentials were built. “I just want to say a huge thank you to my teammates -- many of them are here today, as well as those who are not here,” Walker said. “The Hall of Fame and this number retirement do not happen without every one of my teammates. “… Behind me, a certain Hall of Fame plaque made its way from Cooperstown. I know a lot of you fans will take a photo with it today, and I hope you’ll visit it at the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. But when you look at it, I want you to see your face, not mine. All of you are the reason this team exists. When I [talk about] the plaque, I say ‘we,’ not ‘I’ have a plaque in Cooperstown. Walker has said he never dreamed during his 10 seasons in a Rockies uniform that he would reach a moment like Saturday’s. But his accomplishments tell a different story: While with Colorado from 1995-2004, Walker won three batting titles (1998, '99 and 2001), five of his seven career Gold Glove Awards in right field, and the 1997 National League MVP Award. He remains the only Rockies player to have ever been named league MVP.

On August 7 while in Kansas City for the Garth Brooks Stadium Concert, Teammates For Kids hosted a baseball sports camp at Kauffman Stadium. The boys and girls attended the sports camp at no charge, thanks to the generosity of Teammates for Kids. The young baseball campers, from the Kansas City Royals Urban Youth Leagues, learned the skills of playing on the diamond from former Major Leaguer Alex Gordon. Alex Gordon (a Teammate since 2007), was selected by the Kansas City Royals with the second overall pick in the 2005 MLB Draft. A member of the Royals’ 2015 World Series Championship team, Gordon won eight Gold Glove Awards, four Fielding Bible Awards and a Wilson Defensive Player of the Year. Alex retired in 2020 after playing his entire Major League career for Kansas City. Teammates For Kids presents the Good Teammate Award at each youth sports camp they sponsor. The award recognizes the young athletes who best demonstrate the traits of a Total Teammate, including leadership, toughness, unselfishness, and respect for the game and all of its participants. In Kansas City, Good Teammate Awards were presented to: Graylee Davis, age 9; Carolina Droge, age 10; and Larissa Zaragoza, age 12. Teammates will continue to partner with Brooks to hold youth sports camps at every city on his Stadium Tour. Teammate athletes in each city will volunteer their time to coach kids in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer. In addition to learning the fundamentals of a specific sport, the coaches discuss with the kids what it means to be a Good Teammate and how to incorporate the to Five Words of Wisdom … Attitude, Character, Courage, Discipline and Respect into their lives on-and-off the field.