Wednesday, November 15, 2023
Washington Nationals Philanthropies, the official charitable arm of the Washington Nationals, will honor former Mayor of Washington, D.C., Anthony “Tony” Williams with the Power of Baseball Award, presented by The Annette M. and Theodore N. Lerner Family Foundation, at its annual fundraising gala in March. The award is Washington Nationals Philanthropies’ most illustrious honor and recognizes an individual, corporation, organization or local group that embodies the positive character and level of achievement exemplified throughout the game of baseball.
“It’s an honor to receive this award and to be in the company of the past recipients,” said Williams. “My goal as mayor was always to set D.C. on the path to success, and I am exceptionally proud of how baseball has been part of that, serving as a catalyst for economic growth, charitable giving and more. The Washington Nationals are the perfect example of how a baseball team can transform a community for the better.”
Williams served as Mayor of Washington, D.C., from 1999 to 2007, and is widely credited with playing a major role in bringing professional baseball back to D.C. through his collaboration with Major League Baseball. As part of this work, the idea for the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy was born and written directly into the agreement that brought Nationals Park to Washington, D.C. The Academy, operated by Nationals Philanthropies as its signature program, has since delivered 10 years of holistic youth development, academic enrichment, wellness education, and youth sports experiences to thousands of school-age children living east of the Anacostia River.
“It takes great leaders to do great things, and D.C. has had a string of mayors over the last 20 years that have been great champions of baseball and all that baseball brings,” said Tal Alter, CEO of Nationals Philanthropies. “Tony’s vision was instrumental in not only bringing the Nationals to the city, but also in setting the team up for success in our community impact work.”
“The positive impact of Tony’s work in bringing baseball back to D.C. is felt today not only by fans at Nationals Park but residents throughout the region,” said Marla Lerner Tanenbaum, founding chair and board member of Washington Nationals Philanthropies and president of The Annette M. and Theodore N. Lerner Family Foundation. “With Washington Nationals Philanthropies, we are able to use the platform of professional baseball in D.C. to not only provide community sports programs, but also offer well-rounded support to our Scholar Athletes and the community in which they live.”
Recipients of the Power of Baseball Award have been true ambassadors of the #Nats4Good mantra and exemplary stewards of a commitment to community. Past recipients include:
2023 Ryan Zimmerman | Former Nationals Player
2022 Theodore N. Lerner | Washington Nationals Founding Managing Principal Owner
2021 José Andrés for World Central Kitchen | COVID-19 Community Partner
2020 Dave Martinez | Washington Nationals Manager
2019 Inaugural Graduating Class | Nationals Youth Baseball Academy Scholar Athletes
2018 JMS Little League All-Star Team | D.C. Little League Championship Finalist
2017 Ross Eisenman | Nationals Youth Baseball Academy Mentor
The Nationals Homecoming Gala, the signature fundraising event for Nationals Philanthropies, returns to The Anthem at District Wharf on Tuesday, March 26, 2024. Nationals players, coaches and front office executives will come together with partners and supporters to celebrate the excitement of a new baseball season. The Homecoming Gala is the team’s premier off-the-field event, with features including red carpet arrivals on Wharf Street, a cocktail reception, silent auction, seated dinner, Power of Baseball Award presentation and exclusive after party. Sponsorship and event information is available at nats4good.org/events.
About Washington Nationals Philanthropies:
Washington Nationals Philanthropies is the official charitable arm of the Washington Nationals. Its mission is to champion opportunities for all residents of the Greater Washington region to thrive by inspiring investment in the community. The organization delivers on this commitment by spurring investment in community-based programs that address the disparity of opportunity for residents of the region across a variety of needs. Since 2007, the foundation has issued over $6.6 million in grants to local organizations. Through its signature program, the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, the organization operates year round holistic youth development and baseball instruction activities. Since 2013, the organization has invested $42 million for facility construction and annual programming through the Academy. For more information about Nationals Philanthropies, visit nats4good.org.
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