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2004 Nominee

KANSAS CITY ROYALS
MIKE SWEENEY

AGE: 30
POSITION: First Base
BIRTHPLACE: Orange, CA
RESIDES: Lake Tahoe, NV
HIGH SCHOOL: Ontario, CA HS
PERSONAL: Wife Shara, 1 son
COMMUNITY SERVICE:
Mike Sweeney lives his life with a purpose, selflessly devoting his time and resources to improving the lives of others. Throughout the season, he invites area non-profit and charitable organizations to attend Royals games as part of the “Sween Team.” He provides more than $30,000 in tickets and souvenirs to kids and adults who may otherwise be unable to attend a game. Active with Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Mike speaks at numerous events. He serves as national spokesman for Life Teen, an international Catholic youth ministry. Teaming with Kansas City Chiefs running back Tony Richardson, he hosts the Sweeney/Richardson Golf Classic. Since 2001, the event has raised more than $300,000 for Athletes in Action, a faith-based outreach program. He also supports the Challenger’s Little League for kids with disabilities and Garth Brooks’ “Teammates for Kids” Foundation. As one of the Royal’s most popular players, Mike grants the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses through the Dream Factory. Mike and his wife Shara headlined Operation Blessing, a hunger awareness event which provides groceries for more than 2,000 KC families. Mike serves on the Board of Directors of Royals Charities.

BASEBALL CAREER:
In 2003, Mike Sweeney was named to his fourth consecutive All-Star game. He ranks among KC’s career leaders in nearly every offensive category and holds the top career batting average with a .307 mark. This season, Mike will play in his 1,000th Major League game.
The Branch Rickey Award is presented annually by the Rotary Club of Denver.
Proceeds from the event benefit Denver Kids, Inc., a preventative counseling
and mentoring program for at-risk students in Denver Public Schools.


©2005 Rotary Club of Denver