Cleveland Indians donate full playoff share to help Puerto Rico recover from hurricane damage

SAN JUAN, P.R. - The Indians showed their generous side on Monday to aid in Puerto Rico's recovery from Hurricane Maria.

The team, which won the AL Central last season with a league-high 102 wins, donated a full playoff share from the division series to the communities where Puerto Rican natives Francisco Lindor and Roberto Perez grew up. The Indians wives association also made a donation.

A full share of the Indians' playoff pool last year was worth $36,782.74. The Indians awarded 62 full shares.

"I'm not surprised," said manager Terry Francona, when asked about his players donating a playoff share. "That's one of the things I'm probably most proud about that guys want to give back.

"We're so lucky. Most of us, incluiding myself, aren't capable of doing much else. Since we're in this game and get treated really well, especially financially, to help out other people is awesome."

On Monday, the Indians donated $18,400 of that share to Nuestra Escuela, a high school in Caguas. Former Indians right-hander Joe Colon is an alumni of Nuestra Escuela and Lindor spent the first 12 years of his life living there. The donation will help the school reinstate its sports program, improve the existing athletic field and provide new equipment.

Lindor was scheduled to present the check to a group of student leaders Monday afternoon during his clinic at his former grade school in Gurabo.

The rest of the share will be donated to Extra Bases, Inc., a non-profit, non-government organization founded by Carlos Delgado, a Puerto Rican native and former big league player. Delgado will give 100 percent of the donation to Albergue Jesus de Nazareth, a home for abused children in Mayaguez. The donation will help rebuild the baseball field and provide new sports equipment for the facility.

Mayaguez is Perez's hometown. The Indians will present the check to Delgado during their two-game series against the Twins on Tuesday and Wednesday at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan.

The Indians' wives association, in response to the hurricanes that hit Puerto Rico and Texas last year, donated money to the relief relief and rebuilding efforts. On Monday, they donated a $4,000 check to Casa Protegida de Burgo, the oldest institution for abused women in Puerto Rico.

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