Twins’ Griffin Jax named Bob Feller Act of Valor Award winner

One Minnesota Twins player received an award prior to Tuesday night’s game.

Pitcher Griffin Jax was presented with the 2021 Bob Feller Act of Valor Award, which recognizes players who serve the U.S. It was created in 2013 and named after Feller, who was the first MLB player to enlist in the military following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.

Jax is the first member of the Twins organization to earn an award from the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Foundation. He completed his two-year active duty commitment in 2019 and maintains the rank of Captain in the Air Force Reserves. He’s also the first Air Force Academy graduate to play in the majors.

"The Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Foundation is proud to honor Minnesota Twins pitcher Griffin Jax," Bob Feller Act of Valor Foundation Founder and President Peter J. Fertig said. "Griffin has served his country honorably, becoming the first professional athlete in Major League Baseball to come from the United States Air Force Academy. His service to our country, like Bob Feller’s, serves as a reminder that service above self is still as important today as it was in years past."

Jax was drafted by the Twins in the third round of the 2016 MLB Draft and made his MLB debut on June 8.