NewsLair named Royals' All-Star Among Us
Special Olympics coach to be honored at Midsummer ClassicBy Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com
06/29/09 8:16 PM ET
After thousands of nominees from across the United States and Canada were narrowed to 90 finalists, Major League Baseball and PEOPLE have announced the 30 winners of the "All-Stars Among Us" campaign, which spotlights people who have gone above and beyond to serve their communities. The Kansas City Royals' "All-Star" is John Lair of Pittsburg, Kan., who was chosen by fans across the nation for engaging young people around the world in initiatives ranging from increasing access to education to fighting poverty. In 2001, Lair started a Special Olympics team for people with developmental disabilities. Today, it has grown to be the best in Kansas. Lair volunteers more than 600 hours a year to the Special Olympics and has coached three World Champion Special Olympians. Lair and the rest of the winners will be honored during the pregame ceremony at the 2009 MLB All-Star Game in St. Louis on July 14 on FOX, at which President Barack Obama will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. One club representative also will be featured in People Magazine. Nearly three quarters of a million votes were cast by fans across the nation in the All-Stars Among Us campaign to select the 30 "All-Stars Among Us" winners -- one per Major League team -- out of the pool of 90 finalists who are serving as leaders within their communities. The other finalists for the Royals were: • Leslie Barrett: The Great Bend, Kan., resident started a group called Military Moms, which has sent more than 1,800 gift boxes to men and women fighting overseas. • Anne Hull: The Leawood, Kan., resident, who has two children with developmental disabilities, founded the Heartstrings Community Foundation in 1999 to offer adults with developmental disabilities job placement for the chance to live meaningful and independent lives. Meanwhile, vote for your favorite players with the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Online Ballot at MLB.com and all 30 sites.The 80th Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and Sportsnet HD and televised around the world by Major League Baseball International, with pregame ceremonies beginning at 7 p.m. CT. ESPN Radio will provide exclusive national radio coverage, while MLB.com will provide extensive online coverage.
Barry M. Bloom is a national reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
