BALTIMORE, Aug. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Cody Johnson, an all-star first baseman/outfielder from Mosley High School in Panama City, Fla., was named tonight the 2005 Aflac National High School Player of the Year during the Aflac All-American Awards Dinner at the Wyndham Baltimore Inner Harbor Hotel. Johnson was presented with the Jackie Robinson Award by the late Hall of Fame player's widow, Rachel Robinson, and legendary Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken, Jr. (Note: a photo of Johnson, Robinson and Ripken will be available at www.aflacallamerican.com after 10:30 p.m. EDT.)

The Aflac National High School Player of the Year recognizes the nation's top high school rising senior, who demonstrates outstanding character, exhibits leadership, and embodies the values of being a student-athlete in both his schoolwork and community affairs. The accompanying Jackie Robinson Award is named for the renowned Brooklyn Dodger, the first player to break the color barrier in Major League Baseball, and a leader in social issues off the field.

"Cody Johnson has established himself as a player of both strength and character," said Al Johnson, vice president of advertising, Aflac. "His excellence both on and off the field makes him the fitting recipient of the Aflac National High School Player of the Year honor."

Johnson is consistently recognized as one of the top rising baseball stars in the nation. Playing for his high school team this past season, Cody earned 5A First Team All-State honors while hitting .489 with 10 home runs, 30 RBI's, 36 runs scored and 42 hits. He also was named to the First Team All-District and All-Region teams.

Johnson was chosen from among six nominees determined by official Aflac All-American Baseball Classic selection partners Perfect Game and Baseball America. The other player of the year nominees include:

     - Dellin Betances, RHP, Grand Street Campus HS - New York, NY
     - Jeremy Jeffress, RHP, Halifax County HS - South Boston, VA
     - Aaron Miller, LHP/1B, Channelview HS - Channelview, TX
     - Max Sapp, C, Bishop Moore HS - Windermere, FL
     - Jordan Walden, RHP, Mansfield HS - Mansfield, TX

The third annual Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic will be played on Saturday, August 13th at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, Md. The event is the nation's elite high school baseball showcase featuring the top 38 rising senior players in an East vs. West match-up. Cal Ripken, Jr. is the honorary chairman of the 2005 game, which will be televised live nationally on FSN at 2:05 p.m. Net proceeds from the game will benefit the division of Pediatric Oncology at Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center.

For more information about the Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic and to download pictures and bios of the player of the year nominees, log on to www.aflacallamerican.com.

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.

For 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. Aflac's insurance products provide protection to more than 40 million people worldwide. In January 2005, Aflac was included in Fortune magazine's list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for the seventh consecutive year. Aflac has also been included in both Forbes magazine's Platinum 400 List of America's Best Big Companies and in Fortune magazine's listing of America's Most Admired Companies for five consecutive years. 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:

     Mechell Clark         Dan Sabreen
     Aflac Incorporated    Sports America, Inc.
     706-243-8004          301-424-9334
     meclark@aflac.com     dan.sabreen@sportsamericainc.com

SOURCE Aflac Incorporated