Verlander Signs Over Cereal Profits To Charity
ALLEN PARK (WWJ) - Detroit Tigers MVP and Cy Young Winner Justin Verlander is making a big pitch to help veterans.
He visited a Meijer store in Allen Park on Wednesday to present a $45,000 check to the VA hospitals of Detroit and Ann Arbor.
Verlander is donating 100-percent of his proceeds from the sale of Fastball Flakes to both of the facilities.
More than 110,000 boxes of "Fastball Flakes" featuring Verlander's face have been sold since the cereal was introduced at Detroit area Meijer stores in February.
Verlander is also hosting veterans in his personal suite for games he pitches at Comerica Park this season, as part of his Victory For Veterans Foundation.
Verlander admits its fun to see his face on the box.
He joked with reporters, "I sneak into Meijer ever now and again and buy maybe 20, 30 boxes. No, I'm just kidding."
Verlander admits he has endured some teasing by his teammates about having his own cereal, but it's all in good fun.
"A couple of the guys had the boxes sitting in their locker ... they had it just sitting right there in their locker the entire Spring training. I had to walk by it every day," he said. "My only comeback is, well, you're on a cereal box."
