State Farm® and Home Run Derby® Sluggers Ready to Go to Bat for Local Boys & Girls Clubs of America Members

PHOENIX, July 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- State Farm and Major League Baseball's (MLB) biggest hitters will swing for the fences for kids from Phoenix Area Boys & Girls Clubs (BGCA) during the 2011 State Farm® Home Run® Derby on Monday, July 11, at Chase Field. Eight local youths will line up with Home Run Derby captains David Ortiz, Prince Fielder and their teammates and take their shot at winning $50,000 from State Farm to help their local club get to a better state. The State Farm® Home Run Derby® will be televised nationally on ESPN, beginning at 5:00 p.m. PT (8:00 p.m. ET).

Each of the participating BGCA members will be matched with a participant in the State Farm® Home Run Derby®, with the club member who is paired with the Derby champion earning $50,000 for their club to assist in the BGCA mission of creating great futures for the young people who need us most. State Farm will also make $10,000 donations to the clubs of the other seven BGCA Club members paired with State Farm® Home Run Derby® participants.

"State Farm is proud to go to bat with Major League Baseball for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and help improve children's lives," said Todd Fischer, manager of national sponsorships for State Farm. "The donations made as part of the State Farm Home Run Derby further our commitment to help communities get to a better state."

State Farm and MLB will team up again in support of BGCA and the local communities it serves during the 2011 State Farm® Home Run Derby®. Each Gold Ball home run that sails over the wall at Chase Field will generate $18,000 from State Farm and MLB. In addition, State Farm will donate $3,000 for all non-Gold Ball home runs hit throughout the Derby.

"The commitment to provide high-impact programs that help our young people become productive, caring, responsible citizens continues to grow thanks to the support and generosity of our partners," said Roxanne Spillett, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "We are extremely thankful for all that State Farm and Major League Baseball do to drive our young people to reach their full potential and provide opportunities for local Boys & Girls Clubs and the children and teens they serve."

Player Match Ups:

• Rafael Mikeal Miranda-Fettig of the Wisotsky-Peoria Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix, paired with American League team captain David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox
• Raquelle Enos of the Lehi Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale, paired with Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees
• Adrianna Henderson of the Thunderbirds Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley, paired with Adrian Gonzalez of the Boston Red Sox
• Damian Gonzales of the Gilbert Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley, paired with Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays
• Bailey Turner of the Spencer D. & Mary Jane Stewart Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix, paired with National League team captain Prince Fielder of the Milwaukee Brewers
• Claudia Mendoza of the Hartley and Ruth Barker Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale, paired with Matt Holliday of the St. Louis Cardinals
• Eric Melbostad of the Rose Lane Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale, paired with Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers
• Antawn Mitchell of the Grant Woods Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley, paired with Rickie Weeks of the Milwaukee Brewers

As part of the new team competition debuting at this year's Derby, the Home Run Derby participants will also be going to bat for causes that mean the most to them. A donation of $150,000 will be made to the winning team captain's charity of choice, while the losing team captain's charity will receive $25,000 on behalf of State Farm and MLB. The Boys & Girls Clubs of America will also be awarded a $100,000 donation in the name of the winning team's captain as part of the Derby's new format.

About State Farm®:

State Farm insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada. Our 17,800 agents and more than 65,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts - more than 78 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 37 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com® or in Canada statefarm.ca®.

About Major League Baseball Properties

The Major League Baseball Clubs formed Major League Baseball Properties (MLBP) in 1966 as the Club's agent for marketing and trademark licensing and protection. Major League Baseball Properties is responsible for managing consumer licensing activities, developing national advertising campaigns, cultivating sponsorship opportunities with major consumer brands and corporations, growing the game and the business of baseball outside the United States and creating national marketing programs in conjunction with Clubs, broadcast rights holders and national sponsors. MLBP also operates a full-service video and audio production unit (Major League Baseball Productions), a publishing division and stock photo licensing agency, and manages logistics for the All-Star Game and World Series as well as all other special events. For more information on Major League Baseball, log on to www.MLB.com.

SOURCE State Farm

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