The Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation (BBYF) was created by

Bobby Bragan Robert Randall Bragan (October 30, 1917 – January 21, 2010) was an American shortstop, catcher, manager, and coach in Major League Baseball and an influential minor league executive. His professional baseball career encompassed 73 years, from hi ...

. From 1992 Bragan has been endeavoring to motivate the youth of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex to become better scholars, citizens, and athletes, and to serve as leaders and role models. This is engineered through the foundation's scholarship program which has awarded $2,000,000+ to 834 outstanding students from public schools across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

Program logistics

BBYF chooses to recognize students in the eighth grade, just prior to the beginning of their

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

education. This early recognition alerts students to the entire scholarship process and motivates them to do well throughout high school as they look toward their college career. In addition, the success of these students creates a positive impact on their peers, inspiring them to do their best and complete high school. In the third quarter of 2006, more than 98% of scholarship recipients had enrolled in college, attending 61 different institutions across the country. Each year the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation honors individuals whose contributions have made an impact on their communities. This award, known as the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation ''Lifetime Achievement Award'' has been bestowed upon individuals including

Willie Mays Willie Howard Mays Jr. (born May 6, 1931), nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid" and "Buck", is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Regarded as one of the greatest players ever, Mays ranks second behind only Babe Ruth on most all-tim ...

, Robert W. (Bobby) Brown, Roger Williams,

Lou Brock Louis Clark Brock (June 18, 1939September 6, 2020) was an American professional baseball outfielder. He began his 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the 1961 Chicago Cubs but spent most of it as a left fielder for the St. Louis Car ...

and

Brooks Robinson Brooks Calbert Robinson Jr. (born May 18, 1937) is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Baltimore Orioles from 1955 to 1977. Nicknamed "the Human Vacuum Cleaner" or "Mr. Hoover", he is generally c ...

. In 2017, the Foundation created the Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award. The slugger award is a national hitting award for the best hitter in college baseball. Bobby Bragan was a great hitter, so it is fitting that the award given from his foundation be based on hitting performance. The award is also based on academics and personal integrity.

References

{{Reflist Foundations based in the United States Organizations based in Fort Worth, Texas