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| Bobby Valentine |
Showing posts with label Joe Pignatano. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joe Pignatano. Show all posts
Monday, September 13, 2010
Bobby Valentine to recieve the 4th annual Sports Angels Inspiration Award September 20th
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Winning Beyond Winning's 2009 Gil Hodges Legacy Dinner Recap
Winning Beyond Winning held their annual Gil Hodges Legacy Dinner this past week at the Chateau Briand in Long Island. Winning Beyond Winning is an charity organization headed by former New York Yankee Rusty Torres and Tom Sabellico that prepares athletes for their careers after their sports participation and provides outreach to school-aged children on the benefits of healthy living that can be achieved through participation in sports. Over 200 supporters turned out for the evening's festivities.
This year's Gil Hodges Dinner was a tribute to the 1969 New York Mets, and featured appearances by Bud Harrelson, Ed Charles, Cleon Jones, Joe Pignatano, Ron Swoboda, Mrs. Maxcine Agee, Gil Hodges Jr. and Joan Hodges. Mrs. Hodges received a standing round of applause for her riveting speech in delivering the Gil Hodges Lifetime Achievement Award.
Roland Hemond was given the Great American's Awards for his nearly 50 years as an executive in Major League Baseball. Hemond has served as the General Manager for the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles. Current New York Mets coach Howard Johnson was honored with the 2009 Winner's Circle Award. Johnson stated,"I feel proud to carry on the traditions of the Mets that came before him, and to pass what I have learned on to the new generation of Mets players."
The 2009 Gil Hodges Legacy Dinner proved to be a successful event to further Winning Beyond Winning's outreach in the community to encourage clean youth participation in athletics and assist athletes transitioning from the field into the next phase of their careers.
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| 1969 Mets Reunion Photo / N. Diunte |
This year's Gil Hodges Dinner was a tribute to the 1969 New York Mets, and featured appearances by Bud Harrelson, Ed Charles, Cleon Jones, Joe Pignatano, Ron Swoboda, Mrs. Maxcine Agee, Gil Hodges Jr. and Joan Hodges. Mrs. Hodges received a standing round of applause for her riveting speech in delivering the Gil Hodges Lifetime Achievement Award.
Roland Hemond was given the Great American's Awards for his nearly 50 years as an executive in Major League Baseball. Hemond has served as the General Manager for the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles. Current New York Mets coach Howard Johnson was honored with the 2009 Winner's Circle Award. Johnson stated,"I feel proud to carry on the traditions of the Mets that came before him, and to pass what I have learned on to the new generation of Mets players."
The 2009 Gil Hodges Legacy Dinner proved to be a successful event to further Winning Beyond Winning's outreach in the community to encourage clean youth participation in athletics and assist athletes transitioning from the field into the next phase of their careers.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Brooklyn Dodgers Branca and Pignatano Ring In Sports Angels 4th Annual Spring Kickoff and Sports Auction
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| Ralph Branca / N. Diunte |
The legendary Dodger discussed with us his involvement with Sports Angels.
"I was chairman of the board of the Baseball Assistance Team, and worked especially with the dinner committee," Branca said. "When I resigned, they all resigned at BAT. We worked together for 15 years. I said, 'Why don't we continue as another charity?' We decided to organize Sports Angels three-and-a-half years ago. We do different venues, like what we're doing tonight, and our big dinner is on September 23rd at Cipriani's, honoring Rod Gilbert for all of his charitable work. This Saturday we are sponsoring a seminar in Peekskill, for the Lapolla Little League. They needed some help, as they're running out of money, so we bought them some equipment and gave them money to hold a clinic by the Peekskill Tides. They're going to have a dozen guys running a clinic for the Little Leaguers. As we go along, we look for other agencies we can patronize."
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| Ed Stack / N. Diunte |
"We aim to be involved with all sports, not just baseball," Stack said. "Our focus is to bring sports to children and adolescents that might not be able to be engaged with sports without financial help to get the tools needed to be successful. In Brooklyn, at Jackie Robinson Middle School, we helped them to get started with a baseball program by supplying the uniforms and equipment. With the current economy, everyone is affected, but we can help identify needs in the community to help."
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| Joe Pignatano / N. Diunte |
"I've always worked with kids, I love kids," Pignatano said. "Kids keep me young. It's about the kids today."
He explained how Major League Baseball neglects its young fanbase and is losing out on a golden opportunity to develop lifelong supporters of the game.
"I don't think baseball has done anything for the kids, nothing," he said. "All they're doing is being greedy. A family cannot go to a baseball game. That's what it is all about [the family experience]. It's a shame. Unless the family is rich, the kids can't go to the game. The teams should have ticket prices separate for families that have kids. The kids have to go to the games. Without them, baseball ain't worth a damn. That's why we're here. To help the kids."
Sports Angels will have their 3rd Annual Inspiration Awards Gala on September 23, 2009 at Cipriani's Wall Street, honoring the aforementioned Rod Gilbert. More information will be provided as it becomes available. If you would like to learn more about Sports Angels, or make a donation, visit their website, SportsAngels.org.