Saints Announce Winners Of Inaugural Jimmy Lee Umpire Awards, Headlined By Larry Gallagher, As Part of Minor League Baseball's “The Nine” Initiative

ST. PAUL, MN — (August 5, 2022) – Umpires are rarely honored for their hard, often underappreciated work, let alone with an award named for a man as well-respected as the late, great Jimmy Lee. To provide the recognition they so richly deserve, the Saints have introduced an initiative to promote the importance of, and the need for, great umpires and have selected seven winners in the inaugural Jimmy Lee Umpire Awards class.

The following exemplary umpires will be honored during a pregame ceremony celebrating Jimmy Lee and his impact on the Saint Paul community, prior to the Saints August 9 home game:

Lifetime Achievement in Umpiring – Larry Gallagher and Bryan DeVos

Most Dedicated Umpire – Duane Reed & Peyton Yurek

Rookie Umpire of the Year – Nathan O’Brien

Young Umpire of the Year – Ethan Agre

Most Improved Umpire – Chase Hebel

Both baseball and softball umpires were nominated by their league’s assignors in five different categories and a panel including Saints leadership and leaders in the officiating community selected the final award winners. This class of winners is headlined by one of the most respected umpires in Minnesota, Larry Gallagher.

The 82-year-old Gallagher retired in 2020 after 59-years as an umpire and is the Dean of the Northwest Umpires Association. During his final year playing catcher at Augsburg in 1961, an umpire working one of the games thought Gallagher would be a good ump, based on the fact he had been a catcher his entire life. Gallagher, who had a passion for the game and a teaching degree, agreed with the sentiment and thus a long and storied career began.

By his estimation, Gallagher believes he umpired well over 5,000 games and acquired the nickname “Dr. Balk.” A typical season saw Gallagher umpire between 100-150 games, and he was known for studying the rule book intently.

Gallagher got his opportunity to umpire in the Major Leagues in 1979 when the umpires went on strike at the start of the season. In his first Major League game on May 3, he was the first base umpire as the Minnesota Twins hosted the Detroit Tigers at Metropolitan Stadium. All told, Gallagher umpired seven games in the Major Leagues, two behind the plate.

He continued umpiring at various levels of amateur baseball as well as officiating high-school football, basketball, and wrestling. He was a high-school physical-education teacher and coach until he retired in 1999. In addition to umpiring, which he still does, Gallagher is a baseball rules interpreter and coordinator for the Minnesota State High School League.

The Jimmy Lee Umpire Award will be an annual honor given out by the Saints to the most deserving umpires in the area. The award is named after one of the most well-respected officials in Minnesota history. Jim “Jimmy” Lee was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, moved to St. Paul when he was 23, and got a job with a downtown bank. He was involved in sports and played on the Uptown Sanitary Shop and the Twin Cities Colored Gophers, two of the most renowned Black baseball teams at the time. He became a local referee in both football and basketball and an umpire in baseball, considered by many the greatest official in the area at all three sports. He was the first black baseball umpire in the Big 10. He wrote columns for the _Minneapolis Spokesman _for over a decade. Lee was inducted into the Minnesota High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame (1972), the Minnesota Softball Hall of Fame (1982) and posthumously into the Minnesota State High School League Hall of Fame in 2013.

This is the second of two nights promoting “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball, and embrace millions of passionate fans throughout MiLB’s 120 communities nationwide.

The award ceremony will take place prior to the Tuesday, August 9 game between the Saints and the Columbus Clippers.

Saints tickets continue to be a tremendous value. Tickets begin at $5 for the Treasure Island berm seating, $6 bleacher seats, $15 for outfield reserved, $18 for drink rail, infield reserved, and home plate reserved. Friday home games with Post-Game Fireworks are an additional $2 per ticket. Post-Game Fireworks Supershows (September 4) are an additional $3 per ticket. Tickets purchased on the day of the game are an additional $2 per ticket. Children under the age of 12 and seniors 65 and older receive $1 off the admission price. Children under 2 that don’t require a seat are free.

Saints To Honor Jimmy Lee, Local Umpires As Part of Major League Baseball's “The Nine” Initiative On August 9

ST. PAUL, MN (July 21, 2022) – Umpires hear the boos and jeers from the crowd. They are yelled at from both dugouts. You know an umpire has done a great job if nobody notices them. The St. Paul Saints believe umpires should be lauded and respected for all their hard work just like one of the most well-known umpires in Minnesota was often observed for the amazing job he did. As part of Major League Baseball’s “The Nine” initiative, the Saints will honor Jimmy Lee, presented by St. Paul College, and create an annual program in his name honoring local umpires.

On Tuesday, August 9 the Saints will honor the hard-working men and women in blue kicking off an annual tradition that will be known as The Jimmy Lee Umpire Awards. Both baseball and softball umpires will be nominated by their league’s assignors in five different categories: Top Rookie Umpire (first year ump), Top Young Umpire (ages 12-18), Most Dedicated Umpire, Most Improved Umpire, and Lifetime Achieve Award. The winners will be chosen by a panel of Saints staff and will be honored at CHS Field prior to the August 9 game against the Columbus Clippers.

Jim “Jimmy” Lee was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, moved to St. Paul when he was 23, and got a job with a downtown bank. He was involved in sports and played on the Uptown Sanitary Shop and the Twin Cities Colored Gophers, two of the most renowned Black baseball teams at the time. He became a local referee in both football and basketball and an umpire in baseball, considered by many the greatest official in the area at all three sports. He was the first black baseball umpire in the Big 10. He wrote columns for the Minneapolis Spokesman for over a decade. Lee was inducted into the Minnesota High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame (1972), the Minnesota Softball Hall of Fame (1982) and posthumously into the Minnesota State High School League Hall of Fame in 2013.

This is the second of two nights promoting “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball, and embrace millions of passionate fans throughout MiLB’s 120 communities nationwide.

Saints tickets continue to be a tremendous value. Tickets begin at $5 for the Treasure Island berm seating, $6 bleacher seats, $15 for outfield reserved, $18 for drink rail, infield reserved, and home plate reserved. Friday home games with Post-Game Fireworks are an additional $2 per ticket. Post-Game Fireworks Supershows (September 4) are an additional $3 per ticket. Tickets purchased on the day of the game are an additional $2 per ticket. Children under the age of 12 and seniors 65 and older receive $1 off the admission price. Children under 2 that don’t require a seat are free.

Spotlight Games, Renovation of Rec Field Highlight Saints Participation In PLAY BALL Weekend June 10-12

ST. PAUL, MN (June 3, 2022) – The St. Paul Saints have always immersed themselves in the local community. They take pride in giving back to an area that has helped make them one of the most successful Minor League teams in the country. For the first time as the Minnesota Twins Triple-A affiliate, the Saints will take part in PLAY BALL Weekend, a baseball-wide initiative designed to give back to each local community, from June 10-12.

The Saints won’t wait for Friday to roll around to get started with the PLAY BALL Weekend. Beginning on Monday, June 6 the Saints will renovate North Dale Recreation Center Field. The Saints, who are no strangers to helping local Little League and Rec Centers, will utilize the help of their head groundskeeper, Marcus Campbell, to make the field more playable and pristine. With the help of The Toro Company and MTI Distributing the Saints will spend the week making field improvements that will include new sod installation, edging of the infield, adding in infield material, grading the field, and rebuilding the mound.

For nearly two decades the Saints have brought their entertainment show on the road to local Little Leagues across the state. On Saturday June 11, the Saints will host two simultaneous spotlight games at the North Dale complex. The Saints turn a Little League game into a Saints experience with ushertainers, public address announcers, Mudonna, on field promotions, laughter, and fun. Along with the spotlight games, the Saints will unveil their field renovations to the public.

The PLAY BALL Weekend closes out with a Jr. Home Run Derby at CHS Field, following their 2:07 p.m. game against the Rochester Red Wings, for both softball and baseball. 14U and 16U softball players can register here and 12U and 14U baseball can register here. The winner of each age division advances to the regional final in Kansas City on July 3.

Saints, American Red Cross, And Regions Hospital Team Up For Blood Drive On February 18

 

ST. PAUL, MN (February 11, 2022) – Community involvement is a staple for the St. Paul Saints beginning before they played their first game in 1993. Whether it’s off-season or in season, the Saints team up with their partners for the greater good. The American Red Cross Blood Drive, hosted by the Saints in partnership with Regions Hospital on Friday, February 18, brings three of the more recognizable names in the Twin Cities together for one worthy cause.

The American Red Cross is facing its worst blood shortage in over a decade, posing concerning risk to patient care. With less than a one-day supply of critical blood types in recent weeks, doctors have been forced to make difficult decisions about who receives blood transfusions and who will need to wait until more products become available.

This is the time to take care of one another, and blood donation is essential to ensuring the health of the community. Blood donations can help the type of patients seen at Regions Hospital including trauma and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those battling cancer.

Mayor Melvin Carter, CEO of HealthPartners, Andrea Walsh, and Regions Hospital Surgeon and MN Red Cross Board Chair, Dr. Hamlar, will join in on celebrating the outpouring support for the Twin Cities.

For more information contact the Saints at 651-644-6659 or visit saintsbaseball.com.

Blood drive safety precautions

To protect the health and safety of Red Cross staff and donors, individuals who do not feel well or who believe they may be ill with COVID-19 should postpone their donation.

Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and additional precautions – including social distancing and face coverings for donors and staff – have been implemented to help protect the health of all those in attendance. Currently all available spots are filled and walk-up appointments aren’t available. Those donating and are required to wear a face covering or mask while at the drive, in alignment with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public guidance.

About blood donation

All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Donors may still donate after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Knowing the name of the manufacturer is critical in determining blood donation eligibility.

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.

About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

Top Five Black Players In St. Paul Saints History

In celebration of Black History Month, throughout February, teams across Minor League Baseball are taking a look back at five of the best Black players to suit up for their club.

_While some of these standout performers went on to long and illustrious Major League careers, others simply had great careers for the Saints or, in some cases, just one incredible season that went down as “a year for the ages.” _

Here is a look at five of the best Black baseball players ever to suit up for the St. Paul Saints.

ROY CAMPANELLA

April 15, 1947 is an historic day in baseball history. Jackie Robinson became the first African American in Major League Baseball. Just three months later, on July 5, 1947, Larry Doby became the first African American in the American League. Those two men set the stage for other leagues to follow suit. On May 18, 1948, Roy Campanella broke the color barrier in the American Association with the St. Paul Saints. The Saints were the Triple-A affiliate of the Brooklyn Dodgers. After being buried on the Dodgers bench for the first month of the season, the Dodgers sent Campanella to St. Paul.

While there is debate on why Campanella was sent to the American Association, in his autobiography, “It’s Good To Be Alive,” Campanella said that Dodgers owner Branch Rickey, who integrated the Major Leagues with Robinson, wanted to also be responsible for integrating the American Association. His arrival was a cultural phenomenon in the primarily black Rondo neighborhood in Saint Paul. Four days after he was sent to Saint Paul, future Hall of Fame Dodger manager Walter Alston, wrote Campanella into the lineup on May 22, 1948. It was a short stay for Campanella as he destroyed American Association pitching. Despite getting off to a slow start over his first few games, Campanella went on a tear for a month hitting ,325 with 13 home runs and 39 RBI in 35 games. By early July, Campanella was in Brooklyn where he would stay until his career ended in 1957.

DARRYL STRAWBERRY

His home runs have become legendary. Some grow 10 feet in length as each year goes by, none more so than the one he hit in Duluth. He put one organization on his back and they finished off what he started by winning a championship. He was the shot in the arm another organization needed and helped them win a World Series. What Darryl Strawberry did in 1996 is the perfect Hollywood script.

Following the 1994 season, Strawberry was sentenced to 60-days home confinement after being indicted on federal tax evasion plus a 60-day suspension by Major League Baseball for a positive cocaine test. When the Yankees signed him in June of 1995, he hit just three home runs in 32 games with the big club. After not being offered a contract in 1996, Strawberry signed with the St. Paul Saints. It was, and still is, the biggest signing in franchise history. Fans came from all over, both at home and on the road, to watch this “man among boys.” In 29 games for the Saints, Strawberry hit .435 with 18 home runs and 39 RBI, a .538 on base percentage, and a 1.000 slugging percentage.

That would be more than enough for the New York Yankees who elected to re-sign Strawberry on the 4th of July. The Saints would go on to win a championship that season, giving Strawberry his first ring of 1996. While with the Yankees, he hit .262 with 11 home runs and 36 RBI in 63 games while winning his second championship of the season, a World Series title with the Yankees. But it’s what he did over that memorable month of baseball with the Saints that helped him resurrect his career. As Strawberry said on more than one occasion, “St. Paul reminded me how much fun baseball was.”

LEON DURHAM

Don’t mess with the bull or you’ll get the horns. In the case of Leon “Bull” Durham, if you’re a pitcher you could expect a big, powerful swing that more than likely did extreme damage. Durham was out of baseball in 1992, but then something happened in 1993. A brand new Independent Professional Baseball League was formed known as the Northern League. This six-team league in the Midwest and Canada was a first chance, second chance league. First chance for guys who were never drafted out of college and second chance for guys who were released from Major League organizations.

The St. Paul Saints began their first year of existence in 1993 and were managed by former 10-year Major Leaguer, Tim Blackwell. Blackwell had been teammates with Durham with the Chicago Cubs and placed a call to his former teammate inquiring if he was interested in getting back into the game. Durham was interested and the league had its first marquee signing, helping put the Northern League, and the Saints, on the map.

Durham didn’t disappoint, hitting .292 with 11 homers and 59 RBI in 65 games. He led the Saints to a 42-29 record, best in the Northern League, and they would go on to win the first Northern League Championship. Durham would come back in 1994 hitting .241 with eight homers and 26 RBI in 52 games. He turned his time with the Saints into a contract in Mexico later that year and would finish his career in 1996 with the California Angels Triple-A affiliate in Vancouver. But it was his time in St. Paul that perhaps put more eyes on Independent Professional Baseball helping it stay successful nearly 30 years later.

DAMON POLLARD

No one knew what to expect when the St. Paul Saints played their first season in 1993. How good would the baseball be? Would the team last past the Fourth of July? Would anyone show up? It didn’t take long to find out the baseball was high quality, the Saints would not only finish the season, but win a championship, and the fans came out in droves. That first team set the tone for the next 28 seasons as 11 players had their contract purchased by Major League organizations, a franchise record that stood each season the organization was an independent franchise. It included the first African American in Saints history to have his contract purchased, pitcher Damon Pollard.

The 5’8, 165 right-hander wasn’t big in stature, but he was a giant at the end of games. The former 14th round pick by the Kansas City Royals in 1990 out of the University of Southern Mississippi, reached High-A in 1992 before being released. He signed with the Saints in 1993 and was instrumental in the back end of the bullpen. He went 2-2 with a 2.27 ERA and 14 saves in 29 games (25 games finished). Across 31.2 innings he struck out 35. Not only that, but he fanned the final batter in the Championship Series as the Saints went on to defeat the Rochester Aces three-games-to-one and claim the first ever Northern League title.

Following the season, Pollard had his contract purchased by the Montreal Expos and spent the 1994 season with the Expos and Milwaukee Brewers Minor League affiliates before going back to the Expos organization in 1995.

While he will always be remembered as the pitcher that finished off that 1993 championship season, Pollard will also be remembered as the first African American to have his contract purchased by a Major League organization from the Saints.

CHARLIE NEAL

One season is all it took for Charlie Neal to make his mark. He showcased the talents that would lead him to the Major Leagues and an eventual World Series ring just two years after playing in the American Association in 1954. As a 23-year-old, Neal played for the Triple-A Saints and had an incredible season hitting .272 with 18 home runs and 66 RBI across 146 games. He led the team in hits, with 159, doubles (25), triples (13), and extra-base hits with 56. On top of that he swiped a team-leading 20 bases.

Following the 1954 season the Boston Red Sox reportedly inquired about purchasing Neal from the Dodgers for $100,000. The Dodgers turned it down, but had the deal gone through there was a legitimate chance that Neal would have become the first African American player in Red Sox history.

Neal made the Major Leagues in 1956 with the Brooklyn Dodgers, making the move to Los Angeles with the franchise in 1958. Just one year later Neal helped the Dodgers win their second title, and first in Los Angeles. He was a Gold Glove second baseman in 1959 and helped tie the Milwaukee Braves by the close of the 154-game season. He played a key role in helping the Dodgers sweep the Braves in the tie-breaker series with five hits in 12 at bats. He hit .370 in a six-game series victory over the Chicago White Sox in the World Series. Overall, Neal played eight seasons in the Major Leagues for the Dodgers, New York Mets, and Cincinnati Reds.

Minor League Baseball Announces “The Nine,” a New Initiative to Celebrate, Engage, and Welcome Black Fans

NEW YORK, NY, Feb. 1, 2022 — Minor League Baseball® (MiLB™) today announced the launch of “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball, and embrace millions of passionate fans throughout MiLB’s 120 communities nationwide.

Named for the number Jackie Robinson wore during his only season playing in MiLB with the Triple-A Montreal Royals in 1946, The Nine will connect MiLB teams’ existing, Black-community focused development efforts with new national programming and future special events in a coordinated and centralized campaign. The new inclusion initiative follows MiLB’s Copa de la Diversión Latino fan engagement platform introduced in 2017 that included 76 MiLB teams in 2021.

The Nine will recognize and honor numerous Black pioneers and trailblazing civil rights leaders in all 120 MiLB communities, ensuring the heroes of the past and their contributions continue to be celebrated through ceremonies and events at MiLB ballparks and in the community. Recent tributes and celebrations have included Negro Leagues commemorative games honoring the Austin Black Senators in Round Rock (TX), the Bradenton (FL) Nine Devils, and Page Fence Giants near Lansing (MI). Additional tribute games are being planned for the 2022 season and beyond.

“The Nine will shine bright spotlights on these successful initiatives and transform them into national campaigns reaching more fans and communities, further showcasing our teams’ commitment to representing, honoring, and welcoming all fans to MiLB’s unique brand of fun,” said Kurt Hunzeker, MLB’s Vice President of Minor League Business Operations. “The Nine is just the latest example of MiLB teams being true community champions.”

In addition to player- and team-related content, The Nine will focus heavily on creating new opportunities for youth participation among young Black boys and girls, particularly in communities where youth baseball and softball programming is either nonexistent or difficult to access.

Central to this youth-focused push is a planned expansion of Major League Baseball’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) Program throughout MiLB’s national footprint. New competitions in MLB’s Pitch, Hit & Run and Junior Home Run Derby event series will also debut in MiLB markets beginning in 2022.

MiLB teams will continue to build relationships with local Black-owned and operated businesses, local artists and entertainers in an effort to embrace Black culture and make MiLB ballparks a hub for culturally relevant concerts, shows, and community events.

With several MiLB teams having a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in their community, opportunities will be provided for those schools to start internship and mentorship programs with their local team, creating opportunities for on-the-job experience for students prior to entering the job market. Additionally, MiLB recently partnered with TeamWork Online to create a more inclusive virtual job fair and ongoing talent pipeline that aims to recruit and position qualified and ready-for-hire candidates from across the country for potential management- and executive-level roles within MiLB team front offices.

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*About Minor League Baseball *

Minor League Baseball consists of 120 teams across four classification levels (Single-A, High-A, Double-A and Triple-A) that are affiliated with Major League Baseball’s 30 teams. Fans flock to MiLB games to see baseball’s future stars and experience the affordable family-friendly entertainment that has been a staple of MiLB since 1901. For more information, visit MiLB.com. Follow MiLB on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Team Rubicon and Alight with the St. Paul Saints and Two Men and a Truck to Host Donation Drive for Afghan Families

ST. PAUL, MN (January 27, 2022) –

WHAT: Team Rubicon, a veteran-led disaster response nonprofit organization, and Minneapolis-based global humanitarian organization, Alight, will be hosting a donation drive for Afghan families who are transitioning off bases and into communities across Minneapolis and the surrounding area. As families move into homes, furniture, household goods, and other necessities are needed now more than ever. Team Rubicon and Alight are working with community partners to collect these items and help to set up homes and move in Afghan families.

The St. Paul Saints have generously offered the Plaza Entrance at CHS Field for the donation drive. The first 50 fans to make a donation will receive a voucher to redeem 2 free tickets to a select Saints home game in April.

In addition to assisting both organizations in moving Afghan families into homes, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK will be providing support and transportation to move all collected items to the warehouse. The first 100 fans to make a donation will receive a free coffee gift card from Two Men and a Truck.

WHO: Korey Schroeder, Sr. Associate of Operations and Resettlement Lead, Team Rubicon

Annie Nolte-Henning, Program Director for the Americas, Alight

Sean Aronson, VP of Broadcasting & Media Relations, St. Paul Saints

Sally Flinck, Director of Marketing and Communications, Two Men and a Truck

WHEN: Saturday, February 5 from 10am-1pm

**Interviews are available ahead of drive

WHERE: CHS Field- Plaza Entrance (between 5th and 6th St)

360 N Broadway St

St. Paul, MN 55101

Drive-up donations are requested from Wall Street turning East on 5th Street (towards CHS Field) and North on Broadway between 5th and 6th Streets. All community members, please stay in your vehicles as volunteers will greet you and help you remove items from your vehicles on Broadway between 5th and 6th Street.

LIST OF ITEMS REQUESTED

· Couch/Sofa (new)

· Pillows (new)

· Bedding (new)

· Mattress – twin and full (new)

· Comforter set, twin & full (new)

· Bath towel set (new)

· Car seats (new)

· Pressure cooker

· Tea pots

· Coffee carafe

· Dresser

· Pots & pans

· Toys

· Diapers (all sizes)

**All donated items should be new

**Due to warehouse space limitations, only items on the list will be accepted.

RSVP & INTERVIEW REQUESTS:

Joy Moh | **joy.moh@teamrubiconusa.org** | 626-552-6558

Chris Kindler | **ChrisK@WeAreAlight.org** | 651-428-5955

*About Team Rubicon *

Team Rubicon serves communities by mobilizing veterans to continue their service by leveraging their skills and experience to help people prepare, respond, and recover from disasters and humanitarian crises. Founded following the Haiti earthquake in 2010, the organization has grown to almost 150,000 volunteers across the United States and has launched over 800 operations both domestically and internationally. Amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, Team Rubicon has not only pivoted to be able to continue to deliver disaster response and rebuild services in core mission areas but has also expanded their scope of missions to meet community needs brought about by COVID. Visit www.teamrubiconusa.org for more information.

To donate to the Afghan families as they transition into communities, please visit the Amazon wishlists which is being updated daily to meet the needs of the families or visit https://teamrubiconusa.org/resettlement for more information.

ABOUT ALIGHT

Based in Minnesota since 1978, Alight is an international humanitarian organization, working to create conditions for refugees, migrants, asylum seekers, trafficked and displaced people to build full, meaningful lives. Providing health care, clean water, shelter, protection and economic opportunities to more than 3.5 million people in over 20 countries each year. Alight believes in the incredible creativity, potential and ingenuity of the displaced and works to shine a light on their humanity, the tremendous amount of good that’s already happening and the possibilities to do more. In 2020, Alight received the prestigious 4-Star Rating from Charity Navigator for the tenth consecutive year, celebrating a decade of impactful work.

Sherman Johnson Awarded With Twins Harmon Killebrew Award For Community Service

ST. PAUL, MN (October 1, 2021) – The Minnesota Twins today announced the 2021 Harmon Killebrew Award winners for outstanding minor league community service. Following the Hall of Famer’s death in 2011, the Twins have annually recognized a player from each of the organization’s full-season affiliates. Each player is nominated by their respective general manager for their service within the affiliate’s community. A plaque is awarded, in addition to an on-field presentation during spring training. Though opportunities for community involvement were limited in 2021 due to COVID restrictions, this year’s winners made the best of the circumstances to make an impact in their respective cities.

Infielder Sherman Johnson has been named the winner of the award representing Triple-A St. Paul. Johnson is passionate about reading and promoting literacy, and was active in the Saints’ Reading Tree program this past season. The program took place on the outfield grass prior to Sunday home games and featured a Saints player and a local author/illustrator reading books to kids. Johnson, 31, signed a minor league contract with the Twins on May 12 and began the season at Double-A Wichita, before being transferred to St. Paul on June 1. He batted a combined .202 (45-for-223) with 10 doubles, two triples, five home runs, 33 RBI, 36 runs scored and 46 walks in 75 games for the Saints and Wind Surge.

Right-handed pitcher Hector Lujan has been named the winner of the award representing Double-A Wichita, his third time earning the honor (2014 – Cedar Rapids and 2019 – Pensacola). The 27-year-old was recognized by the Wind Surge front office as the first player to reach out about community engagement opportunities, despite the limits imposed by the pandemic. Lujan was also quick to engage and interact with fans by signing autographs, and was always willing to assist the front office whenever needed. He went 3-2 with a 3.62 ERA (32.1 IP, 13 ER), nine walks and 33 strikeouts in 18 games for the Wind Surge, missing time due to injury.

Catcher Alex Isola has been named the winner of the award representing Single-A Cedar Rapids. Isola volunteered with the local Meals on Wheels chapter during the 2021 season, delivering meals to those in need in his free time and encouraging his teammates to do the same. The 23-year-old also spent significant time signing autographs for fans whenever possible, using the bullpen area as his base. Isola spent the entire 2021 season with the Kernels, his first full professional campaign, hitting .243 (88-for-362) with 15 doubles, 17 home runs, 52 RBI, 47 runs scored and 53 walks in 98 games.

Catcher Jeferson Morales has been named the winner of the award representing Single-A Fort Myers. Morales was recognized by the Mighty Mussels front office as a player who went above and beyond regarding fan interaction during the season, noting his constant willingness to interact with fans and sign autographs whenever he could. The 22-year-old split the 2021 minor league season between Fort Myers and Cedar Rapids, batting a combined .255 (84-for-329) with 24 doubles, 12 home runs, 53 RBI, 12 stolen bases and 54 runs scored in 96 games.