Rawlings to Present First-Ever Junior Rawlings Gold Glove Award;
Parents will Submit Videos of Kids' Great Plays Online
Boys and Girls 12 and Under Eligible;
Submissions, Voting to Take Place at RawlingsGoldGlove.com
ST. LOUIS (April 4, 2007) — Rawlings has announced that boys and girls 12 years and younger will have a shot at winning a Rawlings Gold Glove, just like their big league heroes. The inaugural Junior Rawlings Gold Glove Program is part of the company's year-long Golden Anniversary Celebration of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award®.
Rawlings is encouraging parents and coaches, aunts and uncles, big brothers and sisters, to charge the batteries of their video cameras and "catch" the amazing defensive wizardry of children. Parents will submit the videos at www.RawlingsGoldGlove.com. A gold ribbon panel of experts will select the best 10 plays, which will be posted on the Web site for fans around the world to vote for the best.
Parents can submit videos through July 10. The 10 finalists will be posted Aug. 1, with consumers voting through Sept. 7. The winner will be announced shortly thereafter.
A terrific prize itself, all 10 finalists will have their great plays "called" by sportscaster Chris Berman.
"We know that incredible defensive plays happen at all levels of baseball, not just the big leagues," said Rawlings President and General Manager Robert Parish. "Celebrating 50 years of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award is an opportunity to recognize the kids making these plays on the baseball diamond, in their backyards and everywhere else that they are playing baseball."
In January, Rawlings announced that it is marking the Golden Anniversary of the Rawlings Gold Glove by launching annual High School and College Rawlings Gold Glove programs. In partnership with the American Baseball Coaches Association, Rawlings will present the first ever Rawlings Gold Glove Awards to players in NCAA Divisions I, II, and III; NAIA; NJCAA Divisions I, II, and III; and high school.
About the Rawlings Gold Glove Award®
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award® is a Registered Service Mark owned by Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. The award is correctly identified as the Rawlings Gold Glove Award®. The name should not be shortened, abbreviated or otherwise misused. Proper identification of this service mark using the registration symbol and the Rawlings name is important to protect the integrity of the program and perpetuate this worthy tradition.
The greatest measure of fielding excellence since 1957, the heralded Rawlings Gold Glove Award® is presented annually to 18 Major League Baseball players, one for each position, in both the National and American Leagues. (In 1957, only nine players received the award.) These outstanding players are selected as the best fielding players at their respective positions by Major League coaches and managers prior to the conclusion of the regular season. Managers and coaches may not select players from their own club and only vote for players in their own league.
About Rawlings
Rawlings is a leading marketer and manufacturer of baseball equipment and other sporting goods in the United States. Rawlings is the Exclusive Official Baseball and Helmet of Major League Baseball® and official ball of the NCAA® baseball championships. Rawlings is also the official basketball for the NAIA®, NJCAA®, AAU® and many other organizations as well as official football of the NAIA®. Rawlings is the official basketball, football, baseball, softball, volleyball and soccer ball of the National High School Federation®. For more information, please visit www.rawlings.com.