Quick Facts:
Born: March 16, 1981, Blue Island, IL
Team: Detroit Tigers (2004-Present)
Position: Centerfield
MLB Tenure: 5 years
2009 Salary: $3.5 million
2009 Statistics: 30 HR, 71 RBI, 23 2B, 72 BB, 20 SB
Other: 2009 All-Star
Charitable work: Grand Kids Foundation
The son of two teachers, education was always important to the Detroit Tigers' Curtis Granderson, who is one of the few college graduates playing in the major leagues. (Granderson has degrees in Business Marketing and Business Management from the University of Illinois-Chicago.) In his young, but successful career, Granderson has made many contributions to his community. Granderson's mission with his Grand Kids Foundation is "to enforce educational initiatives to youth and to help bring the sport of baseball back to the nation's inner cities."
Granderson reads to students at Hugo Elementary School. Established in 2008, the Grand Kids Foundation has a focus on education and raises funds from annual events (such as the Celebrity Basketball Shoot-Out), sponsorships, and donations. The foundation helps buy school supplies and books for needy families, children, and schools. It also provides equipment, facilities, and other funding for baseball programs in Michigan inner cities. A future goal is establishing college scholarships for high school seniors.
In addition to Grand Kids, Graderson has been involved with a number of charitable organizations, such as: Play Baseball Detroit, Tigers Dreams Come True, Detroit Tigers Autographed Memorabilia Donation Program, Gloves for Kids, and the Detroit Action Team. Granderson has also been an international ambassador for Major League Baseball and represented America's pastime in countries such as China, South Africa, and Italy.
For more information or to donate:
Grand Kids Foundation
Player Info
Photos from:
http://legacydirect.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/curtis-granderson.jpg
http://grandkidsfoundation.org/images/samgallery/full/sam_full_1_1253220563.jpg
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