photo courtesy of swngnamss

Recommended By: swngnamss
Quote: ..."I would like to nominate  Scott Rolen for April (his birthday month). I met Scott in 2005 at the Cardinals fan fest after waiting 3 years to meet him. I was nervous waiting to go up to his table and when I got up there I told him how nervous I was and how long I'd been waiting to meet him. He smiled (such a pretty smile) and thanked me for waiting. I liked him before, but having him thank me for waiting so long to meet him was incredible. I then got his autograph again that summer at a game :)"

Personal Stats:

Born: April 4, 1975 in Jasper, IN
Stats: 6'4'', 240
Status: Married, two children
School: Jasper, Indiana High School; played baseball and basketball

Professional Stats:

Current Team: Toronto Blue Jays
Position: Third Base
MLB Debut: 08/01/1996, Philadelphia Phillies

Why we love him:

Because we love defense. Lauded as one of the top defending third basemen in the league for many years, Rolen is a sparkler with the glove. Although he has been plagued by injury throughout his career, hampering his offensive stats, he was voted "Rookie of the Year" in 1997, and had one of his best seasons in 2004 for the St. Louis Cardinals; the year the team went to the World Series.

His extra-curricular work is well-documented. From Wikipedia:

In 1999, Scott Rolen created The Enis Furley Foundation. Scott had a vision to brighten the lives of children and their families who struggle with an illness hardship, or other special needs. The scope of the foundation was intentionally left broad to give the flexibility to reach out to any child in need regardless of their situation or location. Externally, the Enis Furley Foundation is busy with community outreach programs, “Hot Corner Kids”, and construction of outdoor retreats, such as “Camp Emma Lou.” The goals are quite simple and focused: making children smile.

Awwww....

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