Luis Gonzalez Wins Bart Giamatti Award & Joins B.A.T. Board of Directors
Updated at September 19, 2009 14:02
NEW YORK – - Back when the Baseball Assistance Team (B.A.T.) was beginning its mission of helping former ballplayers, Major League Baseball’s Commissioner’s office, thinking it a grand idea, decided to pay the overhead costs of salaries and office space.
Through such generosity, B.A.T. grew, then blossomed, then reached the point where it wanted to help international players, too. So the Major League Baseball Players Association, thinking that an equally grand idea, picked up the tab for that.
All of which means that when B.A.T. holds an event such as Tuesday’s 20th annual "Going to Bat for B.A.T. Dinner," not a dime goes to the organization itself. Instead, every last dollar is shipped off to those in need, from struggling former Major Leaguers to front-office personnel to the three dozen or so Negro Leaguers still alive.
It’s baseball players giving back to baseball players, a bit of philanthropy quite close to their hearts.
"It’s a wonderful organization," former big league pitcher Bret Saberhagen said. "It’s just an honor to be here in support of that."
Saberhagen, along with Ozzie Smith, George Brett and Vince Coleman, was presented on Tuesday with the annual Big BAT/Frank Slocum Award for their financial generosity to the organization — a nod to the $100,000 they raised through a charity event this past summer. And Luis Gonzalez, the not-yet-retired big leaguer of Diamondbacks fame, won the Bart Giamatti Award for best exemplifying the compassion demonstrated by the late baseball Commissioner of that name.
"I am one of the few old-school baseball players left," Gonzalez said. "I understand that the economics of the game have changed from when the old players started to where it’s at now, with players making millions of dollars. And I still feel like there’s a need to try to help some of the former players that are out there."
B.A.T. on Tuesday also announced the creation of the Bobby Murcer Award, in honor of the Yankees player and broadcaster who passed away last year of complications from brain cancer. Murcer’s award will go to the teams in each league that donate the most money to B.A.T. during Spring Training each year.
Most of them don’t need much convincing. Started as a way to help former Major Leaguers who have fallen on hard times, B.A.T. has since morphed into an international organization that has donated more than $18 million in grants over the past 23 years. And $2 million of that came in 2008.
"Baseball is different than any other sport, I think," Gonzalez said. "We have a unique bond, a fraternity. We’ve always been known to stick together as a group, and it’s a unique thing. We’re doing things that millions of people want to do. And I think … the older guys are always trying to instill that in the younger players."
Through the support of those players, B.A.T. aims to assist all members of the baseball community — ex-players, managers, coaches, scouts, umpires and front-office personnel, along with their widows and children. For former players, the only requirements to receive aid are three years of service in the Minor Leagues or a single day of service in the Majors.
"Obviously, the game has changed a lot now," Gonzalez said. "I feel that my job, still as a player, is to instill some of the values of the old school into some of these newer-age guys — not to forget where they came from."
Tuesday’s dinner also served to honor Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium, both of which just completed their final seasons of play. To that end, former Yankees and Mets stars Whitey Ford, Willie Randolph, Graig Nettles, Chris Chambliss, Bud Harrelson, John Franco, Cleon Jones, Rusty Staub and Lee Mazzilli were in attendance.
Open to the public, the Manhattan event gave fans an opportunity to mingle with the big leaguers, obtain autographs and learn how many lives their donations have touched.
"The players have stepped forward tremendously," said Ted Sizemore, B.A.T. president and CEO. "It’s truly players helping players."
Learn more online at www.baseballassistanceteam.com.
Anthony DiComo is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.