Mets Rookie Pete Alonso Donating Portion of $1 Mil. Home Run Derby Check to Military, First Responder Charities

Nick Kangadis | July 9, 2019
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New York Mets rookie first baseman Pete Alonso is living a dream in his first full season in the big leagues. Whether he’s mashing home runs at a record rate, being selected to the National League All-Star team or winning a home run derby — like he did Monday night — Alonso is taking his newfound fame and giving back to those that have given to all of us.

After defeating fellow standout rookie Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays Monday evening in the finals of the 2019 MLB Home Run Derby, Alonso was awarded with a $1 million check — almost twice as much as Alonso will make the entire year.

Alonso decided that he would take 10 percent of his prize money and donate five percent each to two different charities. Those charities are the Wounded Warrior Project and the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

During the post-Home Run Derby press conference, the 24-year-old Alonso, whose nickname is “Polar Bear,” said that the donations are predicated on the fact that both of his grandfathers served in the U.S. military.

“I feel like a really strong bond with those people who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice,” Alonso said. “And also on the same token, on the flip side, the same people that are willing to make that sacrifice to protect us here at home, whether it's firefighters, EMTs, cops, there's so many people that are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice every day. They don't know what they're going to go into when they go into work. A bad day at work for them is a lot different than me going 0-for-4 or getting booed off the field.”

Here’s video of the very-composed Alonso’s comments:

 

At only 24 years of age, Alonso seemingly has a very long and powerful career ahead of him.

The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is a charity formed to “honor and empower Wounded Warriors who incurred a physical or mental injury, illnesses, or wound, co-incident to your military service on or after September 11, 2001,” according to the charity’s website.

The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation helps “honor” and support “military and first responders who continue to make the supreme sacrifice of life and limb for our country.”

If you'd like to see Alonso's performance from Monday night's Home Run Derby, watch below:

H/T: Fox Business 

 

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