Jackie Robinson Award to be Presented on August 11 at Aflac All-American Awards Dinner

COLUMBUS, Ga., July 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Six of the nation's outstanding rising seniors - five of whom are power pitchers - have been nominated for the third annual Aflac National High School Player of the Year Award, given to the nation's top prep baseball player. The Player of the Year recipient will be presented with the Jackie Robinson Award, a trophy named in honor of the late Hall of Famer. Rachel Robinson, his widow, will present the award at the Aflac All-American Awards Dinner, which will be held at the Town & Country Resort and Convention Center on Aug. 11, 2006 in San Diego. Also on hand for the ceremony will be Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, honorary chairman for this year's game. The Player of the Year nominees (as well as their positions, high school and hometown) are:

• Michael Burgess, LHP/OF, Hillsborough HS - Tampa, Fla.
• Matt Harvey, RHP, Fitch HS - Mystic, Ct.
• Justin Jackson, SS, T.C. Roberson HS - Asheville, N.C.
• Michael Main, RHP/OF, DeLand HS - Deltona, Fla.
• Greg Peavey, RHP, Hudson Bay HS - Vancouver, Wash.
• Robert Stock, C/RHP, Agoura HS - Westlake Village, Ca.

The inaugural Jackie Robinson Award, presented in 2004, went to Aflac All- American Justin Upton, a shortstop from Great Bridge HS (Chesapeake, Va.). The Arizona Diamondbacks made Upton the No. 1 overall pick of the 2005 Major League Baseball June draft. Last year, Cody Johnson, a first baseman/outfielder from Mosley High School in Panama City, Fla., won the award. Johnson was taken No. 24 in the first round by the Atlanta Braves in this year's MLB June draft.

The award is named after Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson, the first player to break the Major League Baseball color barrier, and recognizes the nation's top rising senior who demonstrates outstanding character, exhibits leadership and embodies the values of being a student-athlete in both his schoolwork and community affairs. We're excited to have them as Aflac All-Americans.

"I am proud to have Jackie Robinson's name associated with this prestigious award," said Rachel Robinson. "The award stands for all the ideals Jack symbolized and celebrates the student athletes who strive for excellence and give back to the community."

The player of the year nominees were determined by official Aflac All- American Baseball Classic selection partners Perfect Game and Baseball America.

"These are six outstanding players and most worthy of their selection as Jackie Robinson Award finalists," said Al Johnson, second vice president, Advertising and Branding, at Aflac. "They represent the best of the best on the field and in their communities."

The fourth annual Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic will be played Saturday, Aug. 12 at San Diego State's Tony Gwynn Stadium. 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. The game will be televised live nationally on Fox Sports Net at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Proceeds from the game will benefit the Hematology/OncologyCare Center at San Diego's Children's Hospital and Health Center.

To learn more about the Aflac National High School Player of the Year nominees and the Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic, visit www.aflacallamerican.com

About Aflac:

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. Aflac's 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 six consecutive years and Forbes magazine's Platinum 400 List of America's Best Big Companies for five consecutive years. In January 2006, Aflac was included in Fortune magazine's list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for the eighth consecutive year. Aflac was also included in Fortune magazine's list of the Top 50 Employers for Minorities in August 2005, and in September 2005, Aflac Japan was named the Life Insurance Company of the Year at the Asia Insurance Industry Awards, sponsored by the Asia Insurance Review. 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