![]() Logo for the Hutch Award | |
Location | Seattle, Washington |
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Country | United States |
Presented by | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (1987–present) Dapper Dan Charities (1965–1986) |
History | |
First award | 1965 |
Most recent | Anthony Fauci (honorary) |
The Hutch Award is given annually to an active Major League Baseball (MLB) player who "best exemplifies the fighting spirit and competitive desire" of Fred Hutchinson, by persevering through adversity. [1] The award was created in 1965 in honor of Hutchinson, the former MLB pitcher and manager, who died of lung cancer the previous year. [2] The Hutch Award was created by Hutch's longtime friends Bob Prince, a broadcaster for the Pittsburgh Pirates and KDKA; Jim Enright, a Chicago sportswriter; and Ritter Collett, the sports editor of the Dayton Journal Herald . [3] They also created a scholarship fund for medical students engaged in cancer research to honor Hutchinson's memory. [4]
Eleven members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame have won the Hutch Award. [5] The inaugural winner was Mickey Mantle. [4] Danny Thompson, the 1974 recipient, was diagnosed with leukemia earlier that year. He continued to play through the 1976 season before dying that December at the age of 29. [6] Jon Lester won the award in 2008 after recovering from anaplastic large-cell lymphoma. [5]
The award is presented annually at the Hutch Award Luncheon hosted by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington, at Safeco Field. [7] The award was originally presented at the annual Dapper Dan Banquet in Pittsburgh. [8] Each winner receives a copy of the original trophy, designed by Dale Chihuly. [9] The permanent display of the Hutch Award is at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, where it has been since 1979. [10]
† | Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame |
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‡ | Denotes player who is still active |