August 28, 2008

Cincinnati Bengals Kicker Shayne Graham Joins With Strikeouts For Troops™, To Help America’s Wounded Soldiers
Becomes First Nfl Player To Team Up

View Shayne's Player Card

San Francisco, CA (August 29, 2008) – Strikeouts for Troops™, a three-year old national non profit founded by San Francisco Giants pitcher Barry Zito to assist America’s war-wounded with ‘comforts of home’, has now extended into football with addition of its first NFL player, Shayne Graham, placekicker for the Cincinnati Bengals.

The 30 year old Graham read about Strikeouts for Troops and reached out to Zito to participate in the program to help our injured soldiers and their families in need. Graham has pledged to donate $300 per field goal made during the 2008 season.

“I have the utmost respect for what our American men and women do to protect our freedom and feel it is a great way to honor their efforts by supporting those who need help when they come home with injuries,” explained Graham. “As the proud son of a Vietnam veteran, I have tremendous appreciation for what military families go through.”

Since the program’s inception, Strikeouts For Troops has raised over $1 million dollars from contributions by over 60 MLB players, as well as fundraising events, and fan donations. One-hundred percent of the money raised is distributed to wounded soldiers and their families while they endure their long and often painful rehabilitation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C; Bethesda Naval Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland; Brooke Army in Sam Houston, Texas; Navy Medical in San Diego, California; and other military hospitals.

“What an honor it is to have Shayne Graham team with us in our effort to help our wounded soldiers and their families. He comes from a military family and has a personal understanding of what our brave men and women deal with. Not only is he the most accurate place kicker in the NFL but he has a heart for others,” said Barry Zito.

In addition to the assistance provided in the form of daily necessities, travel and lodging to keep loved one close, and special needs adaptive equipment, contributions also have funded holiday dinners at military hospitals, bought Christmas gifts for military children, and have helped support a family center where kids can stay while their parents tend to their medical needs.

“Strikeouts For Troops is simply about Americans helping our fellow Americans in need,” Zito said. “I never want an American soldier to think that his or her sacrifice goes unnoticed or unappreciated. The real heroes in our country are the women and men in uniform who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to keep us safe and free.”

Graham, the Bengals’ kicker since 2003, is currently ranked as the most accurate kicker in the NFL, having made 31 of 34 field goals during the 2007 season. That mark, which included a league record-tying seven field goals in one game against the Baltimore Ravens, places him second on the list of all-time. Through his career, Graham has made 152 field goals out of 178 attempts.


About Strikeouts For Troops™
Strikeouts For Troops is a national nonprofit dedicated to helping our U.S. war wounded service members and their families by providing "comforts of home" while being treated at military hospitals nationwide. Strikeouts For Troops was introduced on April 5, 2005 after Barry Zito had the privilege to visit with soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

Today, Strikeouts For Troops is supported by numerous professional baseball players including CC Sabathia (Milwaukee Brewers), Nick Swisher (Chicago White Sox), Alex Rodriguez (New York Yankees), Jake Peavy (San Diego Padres), and Manny Ramirez (Los Angeles Dodgers). Together, these players and baseball fans have helped to raised over $1 million with 100 percent of the funds being distributed to those in need. Strikeouts For Troops is a 501 (c) (3) donor advised fund based at the Community Foundation For The National Capital Region. www.strikeoutsfortroops.org

About the Shayne Graham Foundation:
The Shayne Graham Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 2008 that provides resources to under served children and other charitable initiatives. The mission is to lend assistance to those in need and be an organization that makes a lasting impression, empower those who want to make a difference, and strengthen communities. www.shaynegraham.com