DIABLOS HOMERS NET $6.15M PESOS FOR 123 ORGANIZATIONS

The season may be over for the Mexican League’s Mexico City Diablos Rojos, but the 123 homers belted by the team in 2009 are still producing results. A program bankrolled by the Banamex national bank and administered by the Diablos and the Alfredo Harp Helu Foundation has donated MX$6,150,000 (or about US$473,000) to 123 different public and private institutions, with MX$25,000 earmarked for a different organization every time a Mexico City batter cranked out a longball.
The Homeruns Banamex effort began in 1996, with over 900 grants being awarded since, including four consecutive seasons of 100 or more grants to various social, educational, health, cultural and sports associations in Mexico.
Diablos designated hitter Roberto Saucedo (pictured) accounted for MX$600,000 in donations alone by whacking out 24 homers this summer, while Miguel Ojeda and Carlos Valencia each belted 17 homers to total MX$850,000 in grant money between them.
A list of grant recipients was posted on the Mexican League website October 29.