Yankee to be face of Northwoods League philanthropy
ROCHESTER - The Northwoods League and the Northwoods League Foundation announced Wednesday they have reached agreement with alumnus Curtis Granderson to be the "face" of its philanthropic and alumni relation efforts for the next two years.
Curtis Granderson
The agreement calls for the Northwoods League and The Northwoods League Foundation to work in conjunction with Granderson to help promote his Grand Kids Foundation while also working to bring awareness to the newly formed Northwoods League Foundation and engaging Northwoods League alums.
"The Northwoods League helped develop me into an All-Star at the highest level of professional baseball," Granderson said in a news release. "I am honored that they would ask me to assist with promoting the Northwoods League Foundation, but also promote my Grand Kids Foundation, which works to improve inner city education. I look forward to a strong relationship that grows all of these entities."
Granderson, who in 2001 played in the Northwoods League as a member of the Mankato Mashers, was recently traded to the New York Yankees from the Detroit Tigers where he was a member of the 2009 American League All-Star team. In October, major league players bestowed Granderson with their highest honor by voting him the Marvin Miller Man of the Year.
Granderson will be promoting the Grand Kids Foundation on all Northwoods League Web casts the next two seasons and a link will feature the Foundation on the Northwoods League Web site.
"We could not have a better representative in the baseball world than Curtis and the fact that he is one of our former players only makes this union more beneficial," said Northwoods League president Dick Radatz, Jr.