Current:Home > ContactWhite Sox executive named Perfect Game's new commissioner: 'I want to make a difference' -ValueCore
White Sox executive named Perfect Game's new commissioner: 'I want to make a difference'
View
Date:2025-04-14 16:24:47
Chicago White Sox executive Dennis Gilbert will be named commissioner of Perfect Game on Thursday, becoming the second commissioner of the world’s largest youth baseball and softball scouting service.
“It’s a privilege to be part of such a great organization," Gilbert said. “I want to make it even better and help kids achieve their dream, particularly kids in underserved communities.’’
Gilbert, the former agent who still gains the most attention for negotiating Bobby Bonilla’s famous deferred contract that pays him $1.19 million annually through 2035, is widely known for his philanthropic efforts throughout baseball. He’s the former founder of the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation while leading the way for an inner-city baseball field at Southwest Community College in Los Angeles for the RBI Youth Program.
Gilbert, who wrote the first check for baseball’s RBI program and helped pay for its baseball field in Los Angeles, says his goal is to provide more opportunities for underprivileged youth throughout the country.
“I want to make a difference in Perfect Game," Gilbert said, “which I believe is the best youth program in the country. I want to see more underprivileged youth playing baseball and softball. Perfect Game provides that opportunity."
FOLLOW THE MONEY: MLB player salaries and payrolls for every major league team
Gilbert, who was inducted into LA’s Jewish Hall of Fame, played minor league baseball for the Boston Red Sox before becoming an agent. He co-founded the Beverly Hill Sports agency with Rick Thurman, and joined the White Sox in 2001 as a special assistant to chairman Jerry Reinsdorf.
“I have some goals here raising money for underprivileged kids that haven’t been able to afford playing in these tournaments in the past," Gilbert said. “I want to enhance their development for youth baseball anyway I can, which hopefully leads to opportunities in college and professional baseball."
Gilbert, who will officially be announced as commissioner Thursday afternoon, will begin his duties next week at the World Wood Bat Association Championship in Jupiter, Fla.
“As a player, very successful agent and now valued executive, Dennis Gilbert has devoted his life and career to the game of baseball," Reinsdorf said in a statement. “He cares passionately for the game, understands the important role amateur baseball plays for the professional game, and is intimately involved in supporting scouting and development of baseball across the country. Given all he has already done for youth baseball during his career, he is literally a perfect fit for this role as commissioner.”
veryGood! (39827)
Related
- 'Survivor' 47 finale, part one recap: 2 players were sent home. Who's left in the game?
- American Climate Video: After a Deadly Flood That Was ‘Like a Hurricane,’ a Rancher Mourns the Loss of His Cattle
- Save 71% At BaubleBar's Mind-Blowing Memorial Day Sale with $4 Deals on Jewelry and Accessories
- Russia's ruble drops to 14-month low after rebellion challenges Putin's leadership
- Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
- Kylie Jenner Officially Kicks Off Summer With 3 White Hot Looks
- The Best Memorial Day 2023 You Can Still Shop Today: Wayfair, Amazon, Kate Spade, Nordstrom, and More
- Endometriosis, a painful and often overlooked disease, gets attention in a new film
- Taylor Swift Eras Archive site launches on singer's 35th birthday. What is it?
- Nordstrom Rack Has Jaw-Dropping Madewell Deals— The 83% Off Sale Ends Today
Ranking
- Military service academies see drop in reported sexual assaults after alarming surge
- Ted Lasso's Tearful Season 3 Finale Teases Show's Fate
- 988 mental health crisis line gets 5 million calls, texts and chats in first year
- The Polls Showed Democrats Poised to Reclaim the Senate. Then Came Election Day.
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- The CDC is helping states address gun injuries after years of political roadblocks
- Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox Are Invincible During London Date Night
- Montana Republicans are third state legislators to receive letters with mysterious white powder
Recommendation
Intellectuals vs. The Internet
The Little Mermaid: Halle Bailey’s Locs and Hair Extensions Cost $150,000
7 States Urge Pipeline Regulators to Pay Attention to Climate Change
Transcript: Rep. Mike Turner on Face the Nation, June 25, 2023
Stamford Road collision sends motorcyclist flying; driver arrested
American Climate Video: The Family Home Had Gone Untouched by Floodwaters for Over 80 Years, Until the Levee Breached
Water Use in Fracking Soars — Exceeding Rise in Fossil Fuels Produced, Study Says
Unchecked Global Warming Could Collapse Whole Ecosystems, Maybe Within 10 Years