Allan H. (Bud) Selig was named the ninth Commissioner of Baseball on July 9, 1998, by a unanimous vote of the 30 Major League Baseball club owners.  Prior to his election as Baseball’s Commissioner, Selig served as Chairman of the Executive Council and was the central figure in Major League Baseball’s organizational structure dating back to September 1992. Selig has led the way toward implementation of many of the game’s structural changes, including the Wild Card playoff format, Interleague Play, realignment, restoration of the rulebook strike zone and consolidation of the leagues’ administrative functions. In August 2002, Selig engineered an historic labor agreement with the Major League Baseball Players Association that avoided a work stoppage for the first time in 30 years and included meaningful revenue sharing among the clubs.  In October 2006, MLB and the MLBPA continued the unprecedented era of labor peace by reaching a new five-year collective bargaining agreement.  By the end of the agreement, baseball will have gone 16 years without a strike or a lockout, the longest period of uninterrupted play since the inception of the collective bargaining relationship. The significant changes to baseball’s economic system have helped the sport achieve competitive balance, made evident in 15 different clubs earning the 16 postseason slots available in the 2006 and 2007 seasons and seven different clubs winning the last eight World Series. In November 2005, MLB and the MLBPA announced another historic agreement to toughen its drug testing policy.  The program was expanded again in April 2008.  The policy, which is the strongest in professional sports, highlighted Selig’s long-term effort to try to rid the game of illegal steroids and other performance-enhancing substances. In 2006, MLB and the MLBPA partnered to stage the inaugural World Baseball Classic, the most important international baseball event ever ventured, in which Major League players competed for their home countries for the first time. Selig’s active role in baseball, in the Milwaukee community and throughout the nation has resulted in numerous honors and awards during his career, including being the recipient of the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service in May 2008; he was given the Frederick Douglass Medallion from the New York Urban League for his work in promoting equality and fairness in New York City in May 2007; he was named Executive of the Year by the SportsBusiness Journal in December 2006; he was honored by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America in November 2006; he received the Champion of Youth Award from the Boys & Girls Clubs of America in June 2005; and many others. Selig is in the process of guiding the game through a significant renaissance.  Major League Baseball has now set its all-time regular season attendance record in each of the last four seasons, culminating in an all-time high of 79,503,175 fans in 2007.  Revenues have increased more than five-fold, from $1.2 billion in 1992 to nearly $6.1 billion in 2007.

Bud Selig is the recipient of Major League Baseball’s Lifetime Achievement Award presented annually at the AT&T National Sportsmanship Awards.  He joins Hall-of-Famer Tony Gwynn, who received the award at last year’s event.

Few Major League Baseball players have ever been as versatile as Craig Biggio.  Whether leading his teammates on the baseball diamond or making a difference in the community, the seven-time All-Star displayed a remarkable combination of adaptability and determination.  In his 20-year career with the Houston Astros, Craig played anywhere the team needed him, taking the field as the club’s starting catcher, second baseman, and centerfielder – and earning four Gold Gloves along the way.  Though his defensive roles changed, the five-time Silver Slugger maintained the highest level of consistency at the plate, collecting 3,060 career hits, 291 home runs, and 668 doubles – fifth-most in baseball history.  Off the field, Craig easily adjusted to the role of national spokesman for the Sunshine Kids Foundation, which provides support and fun activities for young cancer patients.  A regular visitor to the Sunshine Kids house, he often wore the organization's pin on his Astros cap.  To help fulfill the organization’s mission, Craig annually hosts a baseball party at Minute Maid Park for more than 100 kids with cancer.  He and his wife, Patty, also host a holiday party at the Sunshine Kids house, which the Biggios helped restore and furnish.  His celebrity golf tournament has raised more than $2.5 million for the Sunshine Kids Foundation over the past 15 years.  The 2006 “Heart and Hustle” Award winner, Biggio also received the 2005 Hutch Award, given annually to the player who best exemplifies the fighting spirit and competitive desire of Fred Hutchinson, a former baseball player and manager who died of cancer at age 45.  With consistency and compassion, Craig has helped to fulfill the legacy of Roberto Clemente, whose remarkable abilities were only surpassed by his generosity of spirit.
                                                     

By virtue of his status as an NFL linebacker and Stanford graduate, Chris Draft is legitimately one in a million.  Having held his own at the highest levels of athletics and academics, he can claim a combination of experiences that very few can match.  But his rare blessings are not what make Chris special.  Instead, it is his dedication to others that truly separates Chris from the norm.  Entering his 11th NFL season and his second with the St. Louis Rams, Chris’ strong passion for philanthropic endeavors keeps him busy off the field.  Actively involved in various community efforts, he maintains a strong commitment to students, civic groups and health awareness organizations.  Chris, who must personally conquer asthma daily, serves as a spokesperson for the American Lung Association.  In this role, he helps the association raise awareness of the disease through public education.  At Climb California’s inaugural event in March 2007, Chris helped raise over $240,000 to fund American Lung Association research, education and advocacy.  He has also joined forces with The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, HOPSports, and other philanthropic sports organizations to aid in the fight against childhood obesity and other health issues confronting children and their families.  A 1998 economics graduate from Stanford, Chris established The Chris Draft Family Foundation in 2006 with the mission of empowering families to live healthy lifestyles.  To achieve its mission, the foundation focuses on educating families on the importance of physical fitness, nutrition, health maintenance and healthy living conditions.  For his commitment to community service, Chris received the 2008 NFL Alumni Spirit Award and the 2008 JB Award for off-the-field achievements.  He was also named the Carolina Panthers’ Walter Payton Man of the Year and Youth Football Ambassador in 2006.  With 528 tackles in 127 career NFL games, Chris is an impact player at the game’s highest level.  But it is in his work off the field, in his commitment to his community, that he has proven to be a true juggernaut.

Chris Draft is the St. Louis Rams’ 2008 AT&T National Sportsmanship Awards honoree.  Past Rams award recipients include Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce and Marc Bulger.

The Edwardsville High School Wrestling Team is being recognized by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

Faced with an officiating error that favored them in the most important game of their season, the Framingham State women’s soccer team and Coach Tucker Reynolds decided that principles of fair play trumped postseason play.  Battling conference rival Bridgewater State with a regular season title on the line, the Rams appeared to take a 1-0 lead in the 59th minute.  But the Framingham State players didn’t celebrate the goal – they had seen the ball slip in through the side of the net.  The Rams told Coach Reynolds, who reported the mistake to the referees.  After conferring, however, the officials ruled that the goal would stand.  Since the powers-that-be wouldn’t fix the error, Reynolds and the Rams decided they would take matters onto their own feet.  When play resumed, Framingham State allowed Bridgewater State to tie the game with an uncontested goal.  That act of sportsmanship proved costly as the Rams lost the game – and their shot at the postseason – 3-2.  The players’ disappointment at losing the game was acute, but their display of integrity earned them more respect than a postseason berth could.  Amidst the praise accumulated in the following weeks, the Rams received letters of appreciation from the Bridgewater State players, coaches, and parents. 

The Framingham State Women’s Soccer Team is the recipient of the NCAA’s Sportsmanship Award.

Chris Glaze, a shortstop at Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, Miss., exemplifies sportsmanship, leadership, community service and academic excellence.  Chris started 43 of 45 games for the Bobcats in 2007 and was selected to participate in the 2008 Mississippi Sophomore Showcase All-Star Game.  In the classroom, he has maintained a 4.0 GPA in exercise physiology.  He was selected to the 2008 Who’s Who Among America’s Community Colleges and was nominated for the 2008 USA Today All-USA Academic Team.  As vice president of the Jones County Rho Sigma Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa – the international honor society of two-year colleges – Chris has been instrumental in scheduling many campus events, including the school’s 2007 Honor Study Lecture Series.  He is also a mentor at local elementary schools, where he emphasizes the importance of remaining drug, alcohol and tobacco free.  Chris’ other volunteer commitments include working at a local soup kitchen and assisting with the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.

Chris is the recipient of the NJCAA’s Lea Plarski Award.

John Graf

Connor Sherwood

John Graf, the wrestling coach at Morgan Middle School in Ellensburg, Wash., was asked by another school to arrange a match between one of his wrestlers and a student with cognitive and physical disabilities.  The student had served as a team manager, but would now get the chance to wrestle in a real match.  Because the student couldn’t meet the sport’s physical rigors, his opponent needed to be someone who could assure his safety and dignity.  Graf asked Connor Sherwood, an eighth grader, to take the assignment – with the understanding that Connor would win the match.  In the opening minutes, Connor took it slow, trading control with his opponent and allowing him to execute his moves.  As the match progressed, Connor kept the score close.  Toward the end, he kept an eye on the clock ensuring that the opponent would score a 9-8 victory.  Connor, who had lost only twice all season, showed amazing maturity and selflessness, and forever changed another person’s life. 

Coach Graf and Connor are being recognized by the Citizenship Through Sports Alliance and the St. Louis Sports Commission.

Athletes and fans alike will tell you a home run is always special, no matter how many you experience.  But few can ever match the emotion surrounding the one hit on April 26 by Sara Tucholsky, a senior softball player at Western Oregon University.  That day, the Wolves faced Central Washington University with an NCAA Division II postseason berth at stake.  With two runners on base, Sara’s line drive over the center field wall knocked in the first runs of the game.  As Sara ran out of the batter’s box, she was also overjoyed for another reason; it was the first home run of her career.  But as Sara rounded first, something happened that would make her historic homer much more than a personal accomplishment.  She missed the bag.  And as she turned back to touch it, her knee gave out.  She crawled back to first in agony, unable to finish rounding the bases.  Her coaches consulted with the umpires – if she was touched by her teammates, she would be called out; and if a pinch-runner was inserted, her first career home run would be wiped from the record books, replaced by a two-run single.  That’s when Mallory Holtman, the Central Washington first baseman, spoke up.  With 35 career home runs, most in the history of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, Mallory wasn’t going to let her opponent be deprived of her first homer, no matter the circumstances.  With the umpires consent, Mallory and Wildcat shortstop Liz Wallace approached Sara with a plan to preserve her home run, one that would moisten eyes both inside the stadium and across the nation.  Mallory and Liz picked up Sara and carefully carried her around the diamond, gently lowering her as they approached each base so that she could tag it with her non-injured leg.  At home plate, they delivered her into the arms of her waiting teammates.  Western Oregon went on to win the game 4-2, and advance to the postseason.  Though Central Washington lost the game, Mallory and Liz’s selfless act did not fade away with their season.  It has proven to be a beacon of sportsmanship – attracting praise from fans and media across the country in recent weeks.  Though they could not have realized it at the time, Mallory and Liz transformed Sara’s home run.  They turned it into something greater than runs on the scoreboard, something greater than the postseason, something greater even than the game of softball itself.  In carrying their fallen opponent around the bases, Mallory and Liz exemplified the ideals of selflessness and compassion, and the principles of fair play.  In the ballpark of sportsmanship, they truly hit a home run.

Mallory and Liz are being recognized by the Citizenship Through Sports Alliance and the St. Louis Sports Commission.

An all-around good guy and class act, Rick Horton has always represented the St. Louis Cardinals well, whether on the mound or in the broadcast booth.  He spent seven seasons as a starter and reliever in the major leagues, debuting with the Cardinals in 1984 and appearing in the ‘85 and ’87 World Series.  Well-respected in the clubhouse and by St. Louis fans, Rick had one of his best years in ’87 when he compiled an 8-3 record, pitched 125 innings, and recorded 55 strikeouts.  Today, Rick is part of the Cardinals’ broadcast team, serving as an analyst for KSDK-TV and FSN Midwest.  He is also among a long line of St. Louis athletes who stayed in the Gateway City and contributed to the community after their playing days ended.  As the director of the St. Louis Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Rick serves as a spiritual advisor, helping area athletes deal with issues related to identity, failure, success and performance from a biblical point of view.  He is also a sought-after public speaker.

Rick is the St. Louis Cardinals’ 2008 AT&T National Sportsmanship Awards honoree.  Past Cardinals award recipients include Lou Brock and Josh Kinney.

Brian Hung personified sportsmanship as a four-time letter winner on the University of Michigan tennis team.  Though he initially struggled to adjust after coming to Ann Arbor from his native Hong Kong, Brian overcame his homesickness and culture shock to grow into a respected leader.  The two-time Wolverine captain completed his four-year college career without collecting a single code violation (point penalty).  A three-time winner of the team’s sportsmanship award, Brian always gave opponents the benefit of the doubt on line calls.  He also received the 2007 Intercollegiate Tennis Association / Arthur Ashe Award for Leadership & Sportsmanship for the Midwest region.  Brian’s on-court success included an 81-58 singles record and a 92-49 doubles record, along with All-Big Ten and All-America honors.  A three-time ITA Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-Big Ten selection, Brian graduated with High Distinction from Michigan’s Ross School of Business, recording a 3.75 GPA.  In addition, he frequently visited a local children’s hospital, participated in a Pen Pal program connecting undeserved grade school children and student-athletes, and mentored young students in the local school system.

Brian is the recipient of the NCAA’s Sportsmanship Award.

The St. Louis Sports Commission’s Associates – a group of area young professionals who volunteer to assist the organization’s efforts – annually present the Good Sport Award at the AT&T National Sportsmanship Awards.  The Good Sport Award recognizes a St. Louis area youth or high school athlete who demonstrates the ideals and very meaning of sportsmanship through a specific act or overall approach.  Nominations were accepted leading up to the event.  The Associates are pleased to present the 2008 Good Sport Award to Nicholas Kirkpatrick.    

Last summer, Nick competed in the Endeavor Games, a regional track and field and swim meet for people with physical or visual disabilities.  At the starting line of the 100-meter race, he noticed a sad face on the sidelines.  An athlete from an opposing team was having problems with her racing chair.  Without the $1,500 equipment, she would not be able to compete with her peers – an opportunity that children with disabilities do not get as often as able-bodied individuals.  Nick wanted to help.  The 12-year-old orchestrated a plan in which he would race to the finish line.  His dad would then quickly transfer him from his equipment, and run Nick’s chair to the starting line for the little girl to use.  Nick’s coach, Kelly Behlmann explained, “For people not in chairs, consider after each of your track events you immediately take off your track shoes and let someone else run in them.  Then you have to adjust your footwear each time you begin your next race because the person who borrowed your shoes strings up your laces differently.  Nick showed great compassion for this little girl, who like him, just wanted to race and be competitive with everyone else.”  According to Behlmann, who is the founder and executive director of the Disabled Athlete Sports Association, Nick always carries himself in an exemplary manner.  He keeps the rest of his team laughing, shows a great work ethic, and is willing to help anyone.  And in this particular instance, at such a young age, he was willing to engage in a selfless act during one of his few opportunities to compete.

Make no mistake about it, the election of a high school homecoming king is a popularity contest.  But sometimes those fortunate enough to be in contention for this quintessentially American rite-of-passage care about more than their own popularity.  Last fall, Lake Fenton High School (Linden, Mich.) seniors David Bittinger, Lucas Hasenfratz, Jake Kirk, Ethan Merivirta, and Matthew Taneyhill had the privilege of running for homecoming king.  Rather than urging their peers to vote for them, the five boys, all of them varsity athletes, decided mutually that none of them would accept the crown.  Instead, before voting was to take place, they announced at an assembly that the title would be given to sophomore Eli Florence.  Eli, who played junior high football and youth baseball, had been battling acute myelogenous leukemia for nearly five years.  Just weeks before the homecoming game, he had been told that no treatments could extend his life.  Eli was too sick to be at school the day of the assembly.  But the next night, after receiving a blood transfusion at a local clinic, Eli arrived by halftime to escort one of his best friends, who was a princess on the homecoming court.  When the homecoming king announcement was made, Eli couldn’t believe his ears, and said to his friend, “But I’m not a senior.”  It took a moment for it to sink in, but Eli soon realized what was happening and joined the homecoming court to a standing ovation from the crowd.  Nine days later, Eli passed away.  Since then, the five Lake Fenton seniors have continued to take time to provide comfort to Eli’s family.  Though their generosity was chronicled on ESPN.com, the actions of the Lake Fenton Five earned them more than popularity.  By brightening the outlook of their terminally ill friend, David, Lucas, Jake, Ethan and Matthew demonstrated the power of compassion to all.

The Lake Fenton Five are being recognized by the National Federation of State High School Associations.  You can learn more about Eli’s story and his dream to help others by visiting www.theelifoundation.com.

Like any good goalie, Manny Legace knows that one of the keys to stopping the next puck is the ability to forget about those that got through.  So when the Detroit Red Wings released him after he recorded a career-high 37 wins in 2006, Manny treated it like a goal-gone-by and moved on without bitterness or regret.  Now entering his third season in St. Louis, Manny has proven the Red Wings’ loss to be the Blues’ gain, collecting 2,825 saves and 50 wins for the rapidly-improving organization.  Off the ice, Manny has encouraged others to adopt a similar mindset.  In 2007, Manny and his wife, Gi, served as honorary co-chairs for the 9th annual Komen St. Louis Race for the Cure.  Manny and Gi both have mothers who are breast cancer survivors.  More than 65,000 people turned out to participate in the event, which raised more than $2.5 million for breast cancer research.  Manny also volunteers for Rebuilding Together – St. Louis, an organization designed to make improvements to the homes and communities of low-income families in the greater St. Louis area.  And as a spokesman for the Judson Center, a nonprofit human service agency located in southeastern Michigan, Manny helps children, adults and families improve their lives.  For his efforts, Manny was recently named a finalist for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.  The Masterton Trophy is an annual award given to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.  Whether bolstering the Blues or providing assistance to the less fortunate, Manny has displayed remarkable perseverance and dedication – characteristics fundamental to the principles of sportsmanship and qualities we should never forget.

Manny Legace is the St. Louis Blues’ 2008 AT&T National Sportsmanship Awards honoree.  Past Blues award recipients include Jamal Mayers and Doug Weight.

As a high school soccer coach and elementary school physical education teacher, Marvin Stoner has made sportsmanship a point of emphasis for the young athletes he mentors.  With more than 25 years of coaching experience at Southmoreland High School in Scottdale, Pa., Marvin has built the varsity soccer program upon the cornerstone of character development.  His players are known for their propensity to help opponents up off the ground, shaking their hands, and congratulating them for their play, no matter the score.  A 36-year teaching veteran, Marvin encourages his elementary school students to attend soccer games and look for examples of good and bad sportsmanship.  He frequently shares the students’ comments with his varsity team, thereby helping both groups learn the importance of sportsmanship and its effect on others.  Marvin was named the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association District 7 “Sportsmanship Coach of the Year” in 2003 and his teams have been recognized three times by the PIAA for their exemplary sportsmanship.  Honored as PIAA Coach of the Year for his section five times, Marvin and another coach tied for the award in 2007 after an initial round of voting.  Marvin felt the other coach should be recognized for his hard work and campaigned successfully to make that happen.  Marvin has also dedicated his time to the Pennsylvania State Association for Health Physical Education Recreation and Dance, serving as president in 2007.

Marvin is being recognized by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.

On a national stage -- in their moment of greatest triumph -- the Warner Robins Little League baseball team did something truly worthy of celebration; they paused to lift the spirits of their opponents.  As if scripted by Hollywood, the squad found itself in extra innings of the championship game with Team Japan at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.  With the scored tied at 2 in the bottom of the eighth, slugger Dalton Carriker blasted a 2-1 pitch over the right field wall.  His teammates, jubilant in celebration, flooded out of the dugout to celebrate, while many players on the crestfallen Japanese team fell onto the field in disappointment.  But after congratulating Dalton at home plate, the Warner Robins players displayed maturity beyond their age.  They spread out onto the field, helped the Japanese players off the ground, and embraced them.  The Japanese team, impressive throughout the tournament, had much to be proud of, and the Warner Robins team made sure to remind them.  As the celebration continued, patriotic fans chanted “U-S-A” in recognition of the United States’ third consecutive championship at Williamsport.  But the team from Warner Robins transcended national differences, lending a hand to their opponents when they needed it most.

The Warner Robins, Ga., Little League Baseball Team is being recognized by the Citizenship Through Sports Alliance and the St. Louis Sports Commission.

Since they touch the football on almost every play, quarterbacks are used to being the center of attention.  When their teams are successful, they tend to receive individual accolades more frequently than their teammates.  Most are quick to share credit, and some go the extra mile to show their appreciation.  But few go as far as University of St. Francis quarterback Jeff Wedding, who displayed uncommon selflessness following an important postseason victory last fall.  After the Cougars’ 30-27 victory in the NAIA quarterfinals, Jeff was named Offensive Player of the Game for his two-touchdown performance.  But he felt the efforts of kicker Rhys Barnhart, who kicked three field goals – including the game-winner moments earlier – were more deserving of recognition.  Not wanting to draw further attention to himself, Jeff quietly slipped the award into Rhys’ duffle bag.  Tipped off by teammates, Rhys found the trophy and tried to give it back.  Jeff insisted that the placekicker keep the award, citing the historic nature of the school’s first ever game-winning field goal.  Though extraordinary given the circumstances, Jeff’s selfless act was not out of character.  A junior from Kendalville, Ind., he carries a 3.9 GPA and was the only NAIA player named to the 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 5 Football Team.  As an all-state high school player, Jeff received the Phil N. Eskew Mental Attitude Award after leading his team to the state championship game.

Jeff is the recipient of the NAIA’s “All That’s Right in Sport” award.

As the captain of the Army lacrosse team, John Fernandez set an example for his teammates, leading the Black Knights on the playing field.  As a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army, he set an example for his fellow soldiers, leading his platoon on the battlefield in Iraq.   And as a veteran and double-amputee, he sets an example for us all, helping fellow wounded veterans return to active lifestyles as alumni director for the Wounded Warrior Project, an organization dedicated to bringing comfort and support to wounded servicemen and women and their families.  John, who was injured while serving in Iraq in 2003, returned to the playing field this spring, leading the Army alumni against the Navy alumni in the Heroes Cup at Madison Square Garden.  His story touched everyone in attendance, but his efforts with the Wounded Warrior Project have made an impact for which applause is meager compensation.  John and the Wounded Warrior Project have partnered with Disabled Sports USA to provide opportunities for servicemen and women and their families to experience everything life has to offer through sports and recreation.  The Wounded Warrior Project’s adaptive sports program includes opportunities to participate in a variety of sports, including golf, skiing, cycling, water-skiing, and rock climbing.  The Wounded Warrior Project also increases public awareness of the challenges returning wounded servicemen and women face.  With the help of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and 55 NCAA athletic programs, the Wounded Warrior Project has set up military awareness and appreciation nights at college sporting events across the country.  The effort honors veterans while providing them the opportunity to escort color guards, participate in halftime shows and coin tosses, and give motivational speeches in locker rooms.  For everything he has done and will do for his teammates, fellow soldiers, and the nation’s veterans through the Wounded Warrior Project, John has earned our appreciation, our applause, and our salute.

The Wounded Warrior Project is being recognized by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.