Giancarlo Stanton Receives His Players Choice Award

Giancarlo Stanton received his 2014 Players Choice Award as the NL’s Outstanding Player before the Marlins’ home opener.

But the big winners will be the children in Africa who benefit from a community center and sports complex that is being funded in part by a Players Trust grant in Stanton’s name that goes along with the award.

Stanton was leading the league in home runs (37), RBIs (105) and slugging (.555) when he was hit in the face by a pitch on Sept.  11, ending his season prematurely. But his peers in the NL had already cast their ballots by then.

Each year, Major Leaguers recognize the achievements of their peers through the Players Trust’s Players Choice Awards program. To date, the Players Trust has recognized the outstanding performances of Players Choice Awards winners by contributing more than $3.8 million to charities around the world on behalf of each award winner.

Stanton steered his $20,000 award grant to Kusewera, a nonprofit based in Malawi, Africa, dedicated to empowering and educating youth through active and creative play and promote sports, dance and music as a way to enrich their lives. The sports complex his grant will help build will include a soccer field, baseball diamond, a court and a track.

Kusewera, which means  “to play” in Chichewa, the native language of Malawi, creates affordable humanitarian service trips for people who personally help implement the Kusewera Empowerment and Educational Program (K.E.E.P.).

To read more about the 2014 Players Choice Awards winners click here.