PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Phillies legend Jimmy Rollins is representing the team in a drugmaker's campaign for heart health.
The Merck campaign "Playing with Heart" encourages fans to get their LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, checked. Merck makes cholesterol drugs, and the Phillies' all-time hits leader and 2008 World Champion is a compensated spokesman. But Rollins said, for him, this campaign has deep significance.
"It's very personal to me. In recent times, my father passed away from heart disease. So it's something that runs in my family."
His father was a weightlifter and bodybuilder, and Rollins said he always seemed healthy until he wasn't.
Rollins said his own LDL is slightly elevated, so it's something he's monitoring. The Phillies will hold a Playing with Heart Day at the ballpark on July 2.
