Phillies receive top honor for philanthropic efforts

Philanthropy starts with a Phil. Major League Baseball and Commissioner Rob Manfred have named the Phillies as the 2016 recipient of the Allan H. Selig Award for Philanthropic Excellence, which was announced on Thursday at the MLB Owners Meetings in Chicago.

The Phillies are being recognized for their organization-wide commitment to supporting the fight against ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) through the Phillies Phestival, an annual autograph and auction party which this year raised more than $700,000 to provide much-needed patient care and services for ALS patients in the Philadelphia area. Since 1984, when the ALS Association Greater Philadelphia Chapter became the team’s primary charity, the Phils have raised more than $17 million in the fight against ALS, the devastating progressive neuromuscular disorder.

• Phillies in the community

As part of their recognition, the Phillies will receive a $10,000 grant from MLB Charities to continue their philanthropic efforts.

“I congratulate ownership, David Montgomery and the entire Phillies organization for their decades-long commitment to fighting ALS,” Manfred said. “As the sport of Lou Gehrig, baseball is proud to support efforts against this terrible disease, particularly in recent years alongside courageous patients and advocates like Pete Frates and Pat Quinn in the ‘ALS Ice Bucket …

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