Branch Rickey Award

Branch Rickey Award

A black-and-white photograph of a man in a suit

Branch Rickey, the namesake of the award
Location Denver, Colorado
Country United States
Presented by Rotary Club of Denver
First awarded 1992
Currently held by Anthony Rizzo, Chicago Cubs
Official website The Branch Rickey Award

The Branch Rickey Award is given annually to an individual in Major League Baseball (MLB) in recognition of his exceptional community service. The award is named in honor of former player and executive Branch Rickey, who broke the major league color barrier by signing Jackie Robinson, while president and general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Rickey also created the Knothole Gang, a charity that allowed children to attend MLB games.[1]

The award, created by the Rotary Club of Denver in 1991, was first awarded to Dave Winfield in 1992 at their annual banquet.[1][2] Each MLB team nominates one individual who best exemplifies the Rotary Club motto: "service above self".[3][4] A vote is then conducted by the national selection committee, which consists of members of the sports media, previous winners of the award, and Rotary district governors in major league cities.[5] Proceeds of the banquet benefit Denver Kids, Inc., a charity for at-risk students who attend Denver Public Schools.[1] Each winner receives a bronze sculpture of a baseball player measuring 24 inches (610 mm), named "The Player", designed by sculptor George Lundeen. A larger version of "The Player", standing 13 feet (4.0 m) tall, was erected at Coors Field in Denver.[2]

Winners of the Branch Rickey Award have undertaken different causes. Many winners, including Todd Stottlemyre,[6] Jamie Moyer,[7] John Smoltz,[8] Torii Hunter,[9] Vernon Wells,[10] and Shane Victorino,[11] worked with children in need. Stottlemyre visited and raised money for a nine-year-old girl who suffered from aplastic anemia and required a bone marrow transplant,[6] while Moyer's foundation raised US$6 million to support underprivileged children.[7] Other winners devoted their work to aiding individuals who had a specific illness, such as Curt Schilling, who raised money for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,[12] and Trevor Hoffman, who lost a kidney as an infant and devoted himself to working with individuals with nephropathy.[2] Also, some winners devoted themselves to work with major disasters and tragedies. Bobby Valentine donated money to charities benefiting victims of the September 11 attacks,[13] while Luis Gonzalez worked with survivors of Hurricane Katrina.[14]

Previous winners

A man in a blue suit and a blue tie looks to his right and smiles.
Bobby Valentine won the award in 2002 in recognition of his charitable work for the survivors of the September 11 attacks.[13]
A man in a white baseball uniform with red lettering and a red hat and red shoes stands on a baseball field reaching into the stands to sign autographs for fans.
The Moyer Foundation, founded by Jamie Moyer and his wife, supports underprivileged children.[7]
Key
dagger Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
double-dagger Denotes player who is still active
Year Recipient Team Position Ref
1992 Winfield, DaveDave Winfielddagger Toronto Blue JaysOutfielder[15][16]
1993 Puckett, KirbyKirby Puckettdagger Minnesota TwinsOutfielder[4][17]
1994 Smith, OzzieOzzie Smithdagger St. Louis CardinalsShortstop[18][19]
1995 Gwynn, TonyTony Gwynndagger San Diego PadresOutfielder[20][21]
1996 Butler, BrettBrett Butler Los Angeles DodgersOutfielder[22][23]
1997 Biggio, CraigCraig Biggiodagger Houston AstrosSecond baseman[24][25]
1998 Molitor, PaulPaul Molitordagger Minnesota TwinsDesignated hitter[26][27]
1999 Leiter, AlAl Leiter New York MetsPitcher[28][29]
2000 Stottlemyre, ToddTodd Stottlemyre Arizona DiamondbacksPitcher[6][30]
2001 Schilling, CurtCurt Schilling Arizona DiamondbacksPitcher[12][31]
2002 Valentine, BobbyBobby Valentine New York MetsManager[13][32]
2003 Hemond, RolandRoland Hemond Chicago White SoxGeneral manager[1]
2004 Moyer, JamieJamie Moyer Seattle MarinersPitcher[7][33]
2005 Gonzalez, LuisLuis Gonzalez Arizona DiamondbacksOutfielder[14][34]
2006 Lasorda, TommyTommy Lasordadagger Los Angeles DodgersSenior vice president[35][36]
2007 Smoltz, JohnJohn Smoltzdagger Atlanta BravesPitcher[8][37]
2008 Hoffman, TrevorTrevor Hoffman San Diego PadresPitcher[2][38]
2009 Hunter, ToriiTorii Hunter Los Angeles Angels of AnaheimOutfielder[9][39]
2010 Wells, VernonVernon Wellsdouble-dagger Toronto Blue JaysOutfielder[10][40]
2011 Victorino, ShaneShane Victorinodouble-dagger Philadelphia PhilliesOutfielder[11][41]
2012 Dickey, R. A.R. A. Dickeydouble-dagger New York MetsPitcher[5][42]
2013 Kershaw, ClaytonClayton Kershawdouble-dagger Los Angeles DodgersPitcher[43]
2014 Rizzo, AnthonyAnthony Rizzodouble-dagger Chicago CubsFirst baseman[44]

See also

References

General

Specific

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Roland Hemond to receive 2003 Branch Rickey Award" (Press release). Major League Baseball Advanced Media. November 7, 2003. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Trevor Hoffman selected as 2008 Branch Rickey Award recipient" (Press release). Major League Baseball Advanced Media. October 2, 2008. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Winfield first Rickey Award recipient". Ludington Daily News. Associated Press. October 29, 1992. p. 14. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Puckett Honored For Community Service". The Charlotte Observer. November 24, 1993. p. 2B. Retrieved August 13, 2012. (subscription required)
  5. 1 2 Saunders, Patrick (September 13, 2012). "Mets ace knuckleballer R.A. Dickey wins Branch Rickey Award". The Denver Post. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 Etkin, Jack (November 17, 2000). "Stottlemyre Worked Through Pain: Rickey Award Winner Was a Real Friend To Sick 9-Year-Old Girl". Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved August 13, 2012. (subscription required)
  7. 1 2 3 4 Street, Jim (November 2, 2004). "Moyer wins Branch Rickey Award". MLB.com. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  8. 1 2 "Smoltz wins Branch Rickey Award". ESPN.com. September 25, 2007. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  9. 1 2 Stapleton, Arnie (October 9, 2009). "Angels' Torii Hunter wins Branch Rickey Award". Reading Eagle. Associated Press. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  10. 1 2 "Vernon Wells wins 2010 Branch Rickey Award for working with kids". ESPN.com. September 16, 2010. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  11. 1 2 "Shane Victorino of Philadelphia Phillies wins Branch Rickey Award for work with kids". ESPN.com. September 15, 2011. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  12. 1 2 "Schilling picks up Branch Rickey Award for ALS work". Associated Press Archive. November 17, 2001. Retrieved August 13, 2012. (subscription required)
  13. 1 2 3 Singer, Tom (November 14, 2002). "Valentine recipient of Rickey Award". MLB.com. Major League Baseball Advanced Media. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  14. 1 2 Harding, Thomas (November 12, 2005). "Gonzalez nabs Branch Rickey Award". MLB.com. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  15. ↑ "New Rickey award to Dave Winfield". The Afro-American. October 24, 1992. p. A7. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Dave Winfield Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  17. ↑ "Kirby Puckett Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  18. ↑ Ringolsby, Tracy (December 7, 1994). "Cardinals' Ozzie Smith To Receive Rickey Award". Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved August 13, 2012. (subscription required)
  19. ↑ "Ozzie Smith Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  20. ↑ Jenkins, Chris (December 7, 1995). "Gwynn gets Branch Rickey Award". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved August 13, 2012. (subscription required)
  21. ↑ "Tony Gwynn Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  22. ↑ Crasnick, Jerry (January 15, 1997). "Rotary honors Butler tonight". Denver Post. p. D-09. Retrieved August 13, 2012. (subscription required)
  23. ↑ "Brett Butler Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  24. ↑ "Biggio To Be Honored With Rickey Award". Rocky Mountain News. October 24, 1997. Retrieved August 13, 2012. (subscription required)
  25. ↑ "Craig Biggio Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  26. ↑ "Twins' Molitor Next Recipient of Branch Rickey Award". Rocky Mountain News. September 16, 1998. Retrieved August 13, 2012. (subscription required)
  27. ↑ "Paul Molitor Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  28. ↑ Miller, Patricia A. (October 15, 1999). "Hometown hero Al Leiter honored for service". Asbury Park Press. p. A.1. Retrieved August 13, 2012. (subscription required)
  29. ↑ "Al Leiter Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  30. ↑ "Todd Stottlemyre Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  31. ↑ "Curt Schilling Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  32. ↑ "Bobby Valentine Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  33. ↑ "Jamie Moyer Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  34. ↑ "Luis Gonzalez Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  35. ↑ "Tommy Lasorda to receive Branch Rickey Award" (Press release). Major League Baseball Advanced Media. May 16, 2006. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  36. ↑ "Tom Lasorda Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  37. ↑ "John Smoltz Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  38. ↑ "Trevor Hoffman Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  39. ↑ "Torii Hunter Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  40. ↑ "Vernon Wells Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  41. ↑ "Shane Victorino Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  42. ↑ "R.A. Dickey Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  43. ↑ Harding, Thomas (2013-09-05). "Philanthropic Kershaw honored with Rickey Award". mlb.com. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
  44. ↑ "Rizzo youngest to win Branch Rickey Award". mlb.com. Retrieved September 18, 2014.

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