2025 Nominee

Since being traded to the Atlanta Braves prior to the 2024 season, Chris Sale has made an incredible impact in the Braves Country community by providing unique and memorable experiences for local children and military families.

 

Each month during the season, Sale hosts a group of deserving Braves fans as his special guests in the Atlanta Braves Foundation’s Community Clubhouse, a private and exclusive pregame hospitality space inside Truist Park. Since the start of the season, Sale has welcomed families from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Miracle Network, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, Camp Sunshine, and Team Rubicon. The experience includes food, beverages, and Braves swag for each of the groups in the Community Clubhouse. Sale also makes it a priority to visit the group pregame, spend quality time with them, take photos, sign autographs, and answer any questions they might have. 

 

One group Sale hosts each season is the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, a nonprofit organization focused on providing bereavement resources and experiences for families suffering the loss of a military family member. For the families from Braves Country who had all recently lost a loved one, this is an incredibly moving experience.

 

Chris Sale also plays a huge role in the Braves’ Lou Gehrig Day celebration at Truist Park. Sale lost his grandmother to ALS in 1995 when he was 5 years old. After that, he became infatuated with Lou Gehrig and his legacy, which has carried over to his career in professional baseball. Last season for Lou Gehrig Day, Sale joined Matt Olson in providing college scholarships to twin sisters from Holly Springs, North Carolina who had recently lost their father to ALS. This season, Chris was named the winner of the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, given annually to the MLB player who best demonstrates Gehrig's giving character. As part of this recognition, he had the opportunity to donate a custom power wheelchair to one ALS patient. In further testament to his generosity, Chris personally donated three additional power wheelchairs.

 

Sale also generously donates 1% of his salary to the Atlanta Braves Foundation. With his support and generosity, the Atlanta Braves Foundation is able to continue their mission of building community through baseball by supporting nonprofits focused on military veterans and children across Braves Country.

 

Chris is not only an All-Star on the field, but also is making a significant contribution to his community and beyond.