State Farm® Home Run Derby® Goes to Bat for Players, Fans and Boys & Girls Clubs of America

ANAHEIM, Calif., July 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Baseball's biggest moment, the home run, was on grand display tonight at Angel Stadium of Anaheim during the 2010 State Farm Home Run Derby as David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox captured the long ball crown, and helped State Farm and Major League Baseball (MLB) raise $573,000 for Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA).

"The 2010 State Farm Home Run Derby was a tremendous success for fans, participants, and State Farm agents and employees," said Todd Fischer, manager of national sponsorships for State Farm.  "State Farm is proud to be there for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and honored to be a part of all the big moments of this year's Home Run Derby. What a fantastic night for everyone involved."

With Derby champion Ortiz leading the way, the eight participating Major League Baseball (MLB) sluggers hit a total of 95 home runs during the 2010 competition. Their display of astonishing home run power helped raise a donation on behalf of State Farm and MLB of $453,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

A total of 12 State Farm Gold Balls were launched over the wall at Angel Stadium of Anaheim, generating a donation of $17,000 per ball from State Farm and MLB to the BGCA.  In addition, State Farm donated $3,000 for each non-Gold Ball home run.

State Farm also went to bat for local Orange County Area Boys & Girls Clubs by donating an additional $120,000 as part of the Home Run Derby Player Match-up program. Malik Campbell of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Fullerton rode the power stroke of Ortiz and earned $50,000 on behalf of State Farm for his local club. Campbell was one of eight members from Orange County Area BGCA chapters who were matched with Home Run Derby participants for a chance to win $50,000 for their club. State Farm awarded each of the other seven participants' clubs a $10,000 donation.

Now in the fourth year of its Home Run Derby partnership, State Farm and MLB have teamed up to donate over $1.7 million to help create more big moments than ever for BGCA and local chapters.

"The Boys and Girls Club of America is so appreciative and grateful toward State Farm and Major League Baseball for the opportunities they have given our chapters and members," said Roxanne Spillett, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "Through these partnerships we are able continue strengthen our mission to provide programs and services that promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence.

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. State Farm's 17,700 agents and more than 67,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts – almost 79 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. 34 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