Pujols and his wife paid for concerts held at MLB ballparks to raise human trafficking awarenessGETTY IMAGES
MLB and the MLBPA announced a $500,000 donation to charities "focused on combating human trafficking," and one of the recipients will be Strike Out Slavery, an organization founded by Angels 1B ALBERT PUJOLS and his wife DEIDRE. Pujols and his wife since starting the organization have "picked up the cost" of concerts held at MLB ballparks to raise awareness. Strike Out Slavery is now in its third year, and the number of ballpark concerts "will grow to four this season." Deidre Pujols said that she "would eventually like to see a concert in each of the 30 major league ballparks, and a player from every team serving as an ambassador for Strike Out Slavery." Albert and Deidre Pujols are "set to be honored" by the U.N. Women for Peace Association on March 1 (LATIMES.com, 2/5).
NAMES: PRESIDENT OBAMA and STEPHEN CURRY will be speakers at the fifth national convention for Obama's My Brother's Keeper Alliance in Oakland Feb. 18-20. Obama and Curry will be "hosting a town hall in Oakland as part of the conference" (SFCHRONICLE.com, 2/5)....Former Blue Jays GM GORD ASH was elected to the Canadian Baseball HOF. Ash began working for the Blue Jays in '78 and served as GM From '95-'01. He then worked for the Brewers as an assistant GM for 12 years and has been the team's VP/Baseball Projects since '15 (CP, 2/5)....The Western Hockey League BOG named Calgary Sports & Entertainment Corp. Vice Chair & CEO KEN KING this year’s recipient of the WHL Governors Award (CALGARYSUN.com, 2/5)....Seahawks QB RUSSELL WILSON and ALEX RODRIGUEZ have partnered with Seattle-area entrepreneurs SCOTT SWERLAND and TARYN NAIDU to bring TruFusion fitness and yoga studios to Washington. The ownership group plans to open more than 10 locations across the state over the next couple of years (TruFusion)....Bucks F GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO's name has been featured in 13 hip-hop songs, including ones by LIL WAYNE and TRAVIS SCOTT (JSONLINE.com, 2/4).
