Mike Sweeney named 2007 Hutch
Award winner
 All-Star Kansas City Royal
to visit Fred Hutchinson Cancer
Research Center in January
Five-time All-Star Mike Sweeney
will receive the 2007 Hutch Award®,
which is given annually to a
Major League Baseball player
who best exemplifies the fighting
spirit and competitive desire
of baseball great Fred Hutchinson,
both on and off the field.
Sweeney, a player for the Kansas
City Royals for his entire 13-year
career, served most recently
as a designated hitter. He began
his major league career with
the Royals in 1995 as a catcher.
In 1999, as a first baseman,
he embarked upon a celebrated
hitting streak. His lifetime
batting average stands at .299,
a mark that ranks second all-time
among Royals players, trailing
only George Brett, who finished
his career with a .305 batting
average.
"To receive the Hutch Award
is an amazing honor for me," Sweeney
said. "It's one of the best things
that can happen in a baseball
career; I feel very proud to
be part of the Hutch Award tradition."
Though Sweeney battled injuries
most of the 2007 season, his
efforts on behalf of charitable
organizations never flagged.
Along with his wife, Shara, Sweeney
has been active in Kansas City's
Reviving Baseball in the Inner
Cities (RBI) program, which is
run through the Boys & Girls
Clubs to benefit underprivileged
youth. In addition, the Sweeney
Family Foundation encourages
people of Catholic faith to work
with youth and families through
a variety of urban-outreach missions,
including youth baseball camps.
The foundation regularly invited
children's charities to bring
young guests to Royals games
where they became members of
the "Sween Team." Since 2003,
the Sweeneys and their foundation
purchased more than $23,000 in
tickets and souvenirs for nearly
3,000 kids.
"If I can bring a glimpse of
hope or an ounce of strength
to a child fighting adversity,
to me that's more enjoyable than
hitting home runs," Sweeney said. "I
always hope that through my work
and my interactions I can have
an impact on kids, and I know
full well that they've had an
impact on Shara and me."
Sweeney will visit children
at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer
Research Center's Hutch School
and receive his award at the
annual Hutch Award Luncheon on
Wednesday, Jan. 23, at Safeco
Field in Seattle.
Funds raised through the Hutch
Award Luncheon benefit The Gregory
Fund® for early cancer-detection
research at the Hutchinson Center.
The Gregory Fund was established
in 2003 as a collaboration of
the Hutchinson Center and The
Moyer Foundation, founded by
major-league pitcher Jamie Moyer
and his wife, Karen.
The Hutchinson Center was founded
by Fred's brother Bill, a prominent
Seattle surgeon, after Fred died
of cancer at age 45. The Hutch
Award was established in 1965
and was first given to Mickey
Mantle. Other Hutch Award winners
have included Moyer, 2006 recipient
Mark Loretta, Craig Biggio, Willie
McCovey, Willie Stargell, Omar
Vizquel, Sandy Koufax and Carl
Yastrzemski. In all, 11 Hall-of-Famers
have received the Hutch Award.
|
