Beschreibung:

Mickey Mantle 1965 Fred Hutchinson Award (First Year) From Mantle Estate After a solid pitching career with the Detroit Tigers, Fred Hutchinson managed in Detroit, St. Louis and Cincinnati, until his bout with cancer forced him to retire. Players and fans remember him best for the 1964 All-Star Game where he could only move with great effort arid pain, but was nevertheless determined to participate. When Hutchinson died at the age of 45, he was voted Most Courageous Athlete by the Baseball Writers Association. His inspirational career continues to be remembered through the annual selection of the Fred Hutchinson Award recipient—a ballplayer who is chosen on the basis of "Honor, Courage and Dedication." This is the first-ever Fred Hutchinson Award, presented to Mickey Mantle for his exemplification of Hutchinson's beloved character. Mantle was notoriously cynical about such laurels, believing that most prestigious bestowments were actually thinly disguised ploys to lure a recipient to a fancy dinner. In his book "The Mick," Mantle notably reflected on his appreciation for what he considered to be a genuine award, bearing the name of a true hero. A class act, "the Mick" always paid respect where respect was due. Mantle stated, "I've often thought that a lot of awards you get are made-up deals so you'll come to the dinners. Of course, there are others that have merit. I won the first Fred Hutchinson Award. It's for courage. He was a pitcher, and, later a manager in the majors. He had cancer, but he never let us feel sorry for him. He made us feel good just because we knew him. I truly appreciate that award. It's one of my favorites." The 16" by 20", heavy chrome plaque bears the inspirational likeness of Fred Hutchinson with Mantle's name etched just below it. Includes and LOA from the Mickey Mantle Estate.