Marrs to be honored at The Diamond
COLUMBUS, Ga., June 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac has announced that RHP/1B
Daniel Marrs (James River HS) of Midlothian, Va., has been named to the 2007
Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic roster where he will compete
in a game benefiting pediatric cancer research and treatment. Marrs will be
honored on field during a pre-game ceremony at The Diamond on June 24 where he
will be presented with the official team jersey by Braves manager Dave
Brundage.
The fifth annual Aflac Classic is a showcase of the country's top rising
high school seniors in an East versus West match-up. The game will be played
on Aug. 11 at San Diego State's Tony Gwynn Stadium. It will be broadcast live
on Fox Sports Net at 3 p.m. Eastern. As a part of Aflac's ongoing commitment
to the fight against childhood cancer, all game proceeds from the 2007 Aflac
All-American High School Baseball Classic will benefit San Diego's Rady
Children's Hospital.
Since the game's inception in 2003, 42 Aflac All-American alumni have been
selected in the first round of the draft, including No. 1 overall selections
Matt Bush (2004, San Diego) and Justin Upton (2005, Arizona). In the recently
completed First Year Player Draft, 35 of the 38 players from the 2006 game
were drafted - 13 in the first round, the most ever from the game.
The Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic is endorsed by many of
the game's pillars, including Major League Baseball. This year, Hall of Famer
Ozzie Smith will serve as the game's honorary chairman.
"I'm thrilled to join Aflac in honoring the stars of tomorrow -- the very
best high school players across the country -- in San Diego, my first major
league home" Smith said. "I wish a game like this existed back when I was in
high school, and I can only imagine how special it will be for these young men
to get such national recognition and exposure."
Since 1995, Aflac's support has helped make the Aflac Cancer Center and
Blood Disorders Service of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta one of the leading
childhood cancer hematology, and blood and marrow transplant programs in the
country. Aflac has raised nearly $35 million in donations to the Aflac Cancer
Center.
Today's announcement is the latest official stop of the 2007 Aflac
National Selection Tour. The selection tour is a multi-city tour that travels
to the hometowns of the Aflac All-Americans to announce their official
selection to the team. Coaches Curing Kids' Cancer, an organization dedicated
to pediatric cancer treatment and research is the official beneficiary for
each Aflac tour stop.
Baseball America and Perfect Game are the official selection partners for
the event and choose the players for their accomplishments both on, and off
the field, including their involvement in the community.
Sports America, Inc., is a sports marketing and event management firm
based out of Rockville, Md., which created and currently produces the Aflac
Classic. Sports America also produces the McDonald's All-American High School
Basketball Game and Jordan Classic High School All-Star Basketball Game.
To learn more about the Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic,
or dates and stops on the official selection tour, visit
www.aflacallamerican.com.
For more than 50 years, Aflac products have given policyholders the
opportunity to direct cash where it is needed most when a life-interrupting
medical event causes financial challenges. Aflac is the number one provider of
guaranteed-renewable insurance in the United States and the number one
insurance company in terms of individual insurance policies in force in Japan.
Our insurance products provide protection to more than 40 million people
worldwide. Aflac has been included in Fortune magazine's listing of America's
Most Admired Companies for seven consecutive years and in Fortune magazine's
list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for nine consecutive
years. Aflac has also been recognized three times by both Fortune magazine's
listing of the Top 50 Employers for Minorities and Working Mother magazine's
listing of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers. Aflac Incorporated is a
Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol
AFL. To find out more about Aflac, visit aflac.com.
Media Contacts:
Tim Turner
Aflac Incorporated
706-243-5594
trturner@aflac.com
SOURCE Aflac Incorporated