CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Perfect Game Founder and President, Jerry Ford, today announced the 10-member inaugural class of the newly-created Perfect Game Hall of Fame.

Following online fan voting and a review by a specially created Perfect Game Hall of Fame selection committee, the inaugural class of Perfect Game Hall of Famers includes Carl Crawford, Prince Fielder, Zack Greinke, Bryce Harper, Brian McCann, Andrew McCutchen, Buster Posey, Mike Trout, Justin Upton and Joey Votto.

The Class of 2021 will be inducted into the Perfect Game Hall of Fame Tuesday, October 5, in the Grand Ballroom of the PGA National Resort and Spa in West Palm Beach, FL.

During the ceremony, each of the inductees will be presented with a Perfect Game blazer designed exclusively for the players by Las Vegas based, Stitched Lifestyle.

The day after the gala, Wednesday, October 6, the Perfect Game Cares Foundation will host a 'who's-who' in Major League Baseball Celebrity Golf Classic at PGA National, and from October 7-11, Perfect Game will host its World Wood Bat Association Championships in nearby Jupiter.

Proceeds from all Hall of Fame related events and activities will benefit the Perfect Game Cares Foundation's Grow the Game Fund, which helps provide baseball and softball playing opportunities for children in underserved communities across America.

Scheduled to participate in the golf event are former Major Leaguers Dante Bichette, Tom "Flash" Gordon, Luis Gonzalez, Trevor Hoffman, Clint Hurdle, Charles Johnson, Andruw Jones, Brian Jordan, Tim Lincecum, Mike Lowell, Tino Martinez, Mark McGwire, Hunter Pence, Tim Redding, CC Sabathia, Gary Sheffield, Junior Spivey, Trevor Story, Tanyon Sturtze, Greg Vaughn and Dmitri Young.  Additionally, women's softball great Jennie Finch and gridiron stars Warren Sapp and Barry Switzer will take to the course in support of the Grow the Game Fund.

"First, I want to thank the fans for casting their votes and I want to thank the Perfect Game selection committee for weighing in with their choices for the inaugural class of the Perfect Game Hall of Fame," stated Jerry Ford.  "Without question, all ten of these players fit the necessary criteria required for entry into the Perfect Game Hall of Fame.  Of course, it should go without saying, there are many other great players that will surely join them in the years to come. I am truly honored and blessed by the fact that I was lucky enough to have seen all these great players and outstanding people perform while they were very young. The entire Perfect Game staff has truly enjoyed following their careers in the big leagues, and we're all proud of their contributions to the game and the communities they call home.  They are Hall of Famers on and off the field."

Perfect Game Cares Foundation Executive Director, Jennifer Ford added: "The Perfect Game family congratulates each member of the inaugural Hall of Fame class.  Each one of these men began their esteemed careers as young boys participating with and against their peers during Perfect Game events. From an early age, each one of the Hall of Famers distinguished himself on the field through their play and off the field through their support and compassion for others.  It will be a thrill to recognize their achievements in October, as we gather to honor them and raise funds to help provide baseball and softball playing opportunities for children everywhere. Helping the next generation fall in love with the great games of baseball and softball, by removing economic barriers, is at the core of Perfect Game and the Perfect Game Cares Foundation."

Perfect Game, the world's largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, has been fortunate to have seen more than 1,600 young athletes play at the Major League level after appearing in Perfect Game events during their amateur years. And since 2003, 13,324 Perfect Game alumni have been selected in the MLB first-year, amateur player draft.  During the 2021 MLB draft, all 36 players selected on the first day (29 first round picks, one compensation pick and six competitive balance round A picks) played in Perfect Game events, and 95-percent of all players chosen in the 2021 draft are Perfect Game participants.

To be eligible for election into the Perfect Game Hall of Fame, players had to have been on a Major League Baseball team's active roster on or before July 15, 2013, and they must have attended multiple Perfect Game events as an amateur.

Online fan balloting took place Monday, July 19 through Wednesday, September 1, and participating fans were allowed to select up to 10 players from the original list of 24 eligible players. [See below.]

For more information regarding the Perfect Game Hall of Fame Induction Gala and fundraising golf tournament at PGA National Resort and Spa, please click here.

Below is the complete list of Perfect Game alumni that were eligible for election into its inaugural Hall of Fame's Class of 2021 [Individual player names are linked directly to their scouting page on Perfect Game's website.]  Inductees are in bold.:

Media Contacts:
Jennifer Ford, Executive Director, Perfect Game Cares Foundation and Vice President of Partnerships and Community Engagement; 319-640-0556 / [email protected]

Daron Sutton, [email protected]; 602-769-5712

About Perfect Game

Perfect Game is the world's largest elite youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, producing over 8,600+ events, 300,000+ games and showcases each year across the country. Perfect Game is dedicated to giving amateur players exposure to take their game to the next level, whether that be in college or in the professional ranks. At Perfect Game events, players are performing with top-level competition in front of college recruiters and professional scouts from all over the country. Because of this, these events prove to be invaluable to the college coaches as well as Major League Baseball, as they can scout a large population of talented ballplayers in one location. To date, more than 1,500 players that have played in a Perfect Game event have also played in Major League Baseball. Since 2003, 13,324 Perfect Game alumni have been selected in the MLB First-Year Amateur Player Draft. In the 2021 Draft, for example, more than 95 percent of all players selected had played in Perfect Game events, and every player selected on the Draft's first day had previously attended Perfect Game events. And in the 2021 College World Series, every player on the rosters of national champion Mississippi State and runner-up Vanderbilt had played in a Perfect Game event.

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SOURCE Perfect Game USA