The 36th Annual Thurman Munson Awards, which remember the late, great Yankees captain and catcher, will be presented at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City on Tuesday night, February 9, 2016, and the honorees were announced Monday.
New York baseball’s two premier closers – the Yankees Andrew Miller (36 saves) and the Mets Jeurys Familia (team record-tying 43 saves) – will be joined by former Yankees “No-Hit” pitcher Jim Abbott, who has been an inspiration to people with disabilities, current Yankees catcher Brian McCann, and 1986 Mets World Series champion reliever Jesse Orosco.
The AHRC New York City Foundation, which assists children and adults with disabilities, benefits from the gala.
Diana Munson, Thurman’s widow, will attend her 36th consecutive benefit, having been involved since its inception. The Thurman Munson Awards Dinner has raised more than $14 million for programs that serve New York City children and adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Michael Kay, the “Voice of the Yankees” on YES Network and ESPN Radio 98.7 FM host, will serve as Master of Ceremonies.
For tickets and information on the Munson Awards Dinner call 212-249-6188 or email [email protected]. Tickets may be purchased on line at www.ahrcNYCfoundation.org/events.
The Thurman Munson Awards are presented for success and inspiration on the fields of play, and community outreach off the field.
A native of the Dominican Republic, Familia emerged as one of baseball’s ace relievers last season in helping lead the Mets to their first National League Championship in 15 years. Assuming the closer’s role with gusto, the right-handed hurler saved 43 games, tying a team record. He had a tidy 1.43 ERA in his fourth season in New York. In the postseason, Familia notched two more saves in the NLDS against the Dodgers, retiring all 16 batters that he faced. He continued that excellence in the NLCS against the Cubs, recording three more saves to vault the Mets into the Fall Classic.
Familia’s son, Jeurys, Jr., was born to fiancée Bianca Rivas on June 12, while he saved a win against the Atlanta Braves. The youngest son of a gas station attendant, Familia is greatly devoted to his family and built a house in his native Dominican Republic that he has been saving for since he signed with the Mets.
Familia has participated in many of the Mets community outreach programs, including “Amazin’ City,” when he visited the Museum of Natural History with students from the Leonardo da Vinci School (Corona); and the Military Softball Classic with members of the Armed Forces at Citi Field, just to name two.
Jesse Orosco ranks first on MLB’s all-time leader board in most games pitched during a career which spanned 20 years. He saved both the final game of the NLCS against Houston, and the World Series against Boston, ending both games with a strikeout, to vault the Mets to their second world championship. He also was a World Series champion with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Orosco was the first and only relief pitcher to get three wins in one playoff series against the Astros.
Earlier this year, The Mets, Major League Baseball and Stand Up to Cancer visited Mt. Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital in Manhattan to spend time with pediatric cancer patients. MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred was joined by Mets legend Jesse Orosco, Hall of Famer and former Mets pitcher Tom Glavine and everyone’s favorite mascots Mr. and Mrs. Met.
