Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson does a lot more than belt home runs, chase down fly balls, and join the Golden Sombrero Club. Since he started the Grand Kids Foundation during his days in Detroit, the Grandy Man has been known for his work in the community, particularly among local youth. Last week, Granderson donated 300 Louisville Sluggers to the Public Schools Athletic League. Because of his donation, high schoolers who can’t afford equipment will be able to play baseball this season.
“It’s great to get a chance to see how much of an impact you can make on kids,” Granderson told the New York Yankees. “It’s amazing that I’m very similar to all the teachers and the social workers and the principals here, but the attention that the kids will give once they see, ‘Hey, this is a famous person coming in’ … They always just kind of perk up and listen a little more, so given that opportunity, I try to take advantage of it as best I can.”
Granderson said he chose to donate bats to the Bronx students because he always hears about kids not playing baseball or softball because they can’t afford the equipment. Aluminum bats can cost upwards of $200, so Granderson figured a few hundred bats would give plenty of students the opportunity to play with limited funds.
It’s easy to look at a charitable donation like the one the Grandy Man made and think to yourself, “good, they have millions of dollars and should be doing that stuff.” While that’s probably true, there are plenty of players out there who don’t bother making the effort. Even as a Red Sox fan, Del is willing to give credit where credit is due.
Pic via Yankees.com
