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Baseball's Best of the Best to Compete for Charity in San Diego

Baseball Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith will join such luminaries as Cal Ripken, Stan Musial and Reggie Jackson as the honorary chairman of the 5th annual All-American High School Baseball Classic.

The “Wizard of Oz” combined athletic ability with acrobatic skill to become the best defensive shortstop of all time. Now he will introduce the world to 38 superstars who are following in his footsteps — the very best high school baseball players in the country.

Showcasing the nation's elite young players in an East versus West match-up, each of the All-American High School Baseball Classic participants are incoming high school seniors in good academic standing and embody the ideals of the sport of baseball, including discipline, determination and hard work.

Since the game's inception in 2003, 43 of the All-Americans have been selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball first-year player draft, including two No. 1 overall draft picks!

But these boys aren't hitting homeruns just for fun — the game is also for a good cause. All proceeds from the 2007 Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic — to be held on August 11th — will benefit the San Diego's Rady Children's Hospital in its fight against pediatric cancer. Since 2003, the game has generated nearly $355,000 for charity.

Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002, Ozzie Smith retired from baseball in 1996 after playing 19 years in the major leagues, the first four years with the San Diego Padres and the final fifteen with the St. Louis Cardinals. Winner of the coveted Gold Glove an amazing 13 times, Smith set numerous major league shortstop records, and finished his career with more than 2,400 hits and 500 stolen bases.

His ninth-inning home run won the fifth game of the 1985 National League Championship Series. He competed in 15 All Star Teams, was named to the All Century 100 Best Baseball Players of the 20th Century by Major League Baseball and earned the NAACP's Image Award for Sportsmanship, Humanitarianism, and Community Involvement.

Since retirement from baseball, Smith has been heavily involved with numerous charitable endeavors benefiting children, in addition to other baseball-related interests.