News
Timberlake is Rays' community All-Star
Sailing instructor has reached out to disabled personsBy Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com
06/29/09 7:11 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 Tampa Bay Rays "All-Star" is Tommy Timberlake of Tampa, Fla., 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. Timberlake makes it possible for disabled people to experience the joy of sailing in a safe, supportive environment. A qualified instructor, he has spent hundreds of hours teaching sailing to individuals with physical and mental disabilities, including paraplegia, autism and Down syndrome. He takes sailors age 16-70 to local regattas. Timberlake 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 Rays were: • Miles Marinello: The Palm Harbour, Fla., resident spent three years as a patient at Florida's All Children's Hospital and benefited from the Children's Dream Fund. Now that he's recovered, he's raised nearly $10,000 for the hospital and the Dream Fund. • Glenn Permuy: The Tampa, Fla., resident is the local president of the Boys & Girls Club, a role he has served for the last four decades after receiving care and guidance at the Club as a child. 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 8 p.m. ET. 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.
