A special guest will be attending the opening night of Sox Fest. Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, who will present White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf with the 2011 Commissioners Award for Philanthropic Excellence. Selig will also take part in a seminar that evening with White Sox fans.
The Commissioners Award was created in 2010 to recognize outstanding community efforts by a major league team. Through their White Sox Volunteer Corps program, the franchise has been a leader in giving back to the Chicagoland community. Launched in 2009, the program has been responsible for the donation of more than 510,000 to non-profit organizations.
Selig will present the award to Reinsdorf during the Opening Ceremonies of Sox Fest, which Comcast SportsNet will air live at 4:00 p.m. on Jan. 27. The Commissioner will take part in the first panel of the weekend, fielding questions from fans along with Sox broadcaster Hawk Harrelson.
Selig will also reportedly be offered a contract extension to stay on as Commissioner for at least two more years. The 77-year-old has one more year remaining on his contract. He has previously said he plans on retiring in 2012.