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Annual awards recognize the top Underclass athletes at the high school level

St. Louis, Mo. (March 24, 2017) – Rawlings and Perfect Game announced today its Preseason All-American Teams to recognize the top underclass high school baseball athletes in the U.S (Class of 2018, 2019, 2020).

The Rawlings-Perfect Game Preseason All American 1st, 2nd and 3rd team recognizes 300 players from the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Each team consists of 100 players who are currently juniors, sophomores, or freshmen in high school. There is also a high honorable mention and an honorable mention list to identify other potential top underclassmen.

“With more than 450,000 high school baseball players in the nation, the Rawlings-Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-American players represent the very best in their class,” said Mike Thompson, executive vice president of marketing for St. Louis-based Rawlings. “Rawlings and Perfect Game are synonymous with the game of baseball, and the preseason awards allow us to recognize and reward these elite athletes for their hard work and contribution to the game.”

“To receive the Rawlings-Perfect Game Preseason All-American or All-Region Award is a tremendous achievement for these high school student-athletes,” said Jerry Ford, president of Cedar Rapids, IA-based Perfect Game. “We are proud to recognize their talent as they prepare for their careers playing collegiate or professional baseball.”

About Rawlings:
Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. is an innovative manufacturer and marketer of sporting goods worldwide. Founded in 1887, Rawlings is an authentic global sports brand, trusted by generations of athletes from the sandlot to the pros. Rawlings’ unparalleled quality and expert craftsmanship are the fundamental reasons why more athletes choose Rawlings, and why Rawlings is the Official Batting Helmet and Ball Supplier of Major League Baseball®, the official baseball of Minor League Baseball™ and the NCAA®, and the approved baseball, basketball, football, and softball of the National High School Federation®. For more information, please visit www.rawlings.com or call (314)819-2800.

About Newell Brands:
Newell Brands (NYSE: NWL) is a leading global consumer goods company with a strong portfolio of well-known brands, including Paper Mate®, Sharpie®, Dymo®, EXPO®, Parker®, Elmer’s®, Coleman®, Jostens®, Marmot®, Rawlings®, Oster®, Sunbeam®, FoodSaver®, Mr. Coffee®, Rubbermaid Commercial Products®, Graco®, Baby Jogger®, NUK®, Calphalon®, Rubbermaid®, Contigo®, First Alert®, Waddington and Yankee Candle®. For hundreds of millions of consumers, Newell Brands makes life better every day, where they live, learn, work and play. This press release and additional information about Newell Brands are available on the company’s website www.newellbrands.com

About Perfect Game:
Perfect Game is considered to be the elite amateur baseball scouting organization in existence, producing over 100 tournaments and showcases each year across the country. Perfect Game is dedicated to giving amateur players exposure to take their game to the next level, whether that be in college or in the professional ranks. At Perfect Game events, players are performing with top-level competition in front of college recruiters and professional scouts from all over the country. Because of this, these events prove to be invaluable to the college coaches as well as Major League Baseball as they can scout a large population of talented ballplayers in one location. To date, over 900 players that have played in a Perfect Game event have also played in Major League Baseball. Since 2003, over 10,000 Perfect Game alumni have been selected in the MLB First-Year Amateur Player Draft. For more information, please visit www.perfectgame.org