Honor Bobby Valentine Award

Senate Resolution No. 1073 BY: Senator GOLDEN HONORING Bobby Valentine upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of the Joe DiMaggio Award by Columbus Citizens Foundation and Futures in Education WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those who enhance the quality of life in their community and have shown a long and sustained commitment to the maintenance of high standards in their profession, certainly have earned the recognition and applause of all the citizens of this great Empire State; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Bobby Valentine upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of the Joe DiMaggio Award by Columbus Citizens Foundation and Futures in Education, to be celebrated at its Award Dinner on Wednesday, April 5,

2017, at The Plaza, New York, New York; and WHEREAS, The Joe DiMaggio Award was established in 1999, in memory of baseball legend and Hall of Famer, the "Yankee Clipper", Joe DiMaggio, in recognition of his support of the educational needs of students with learning disabilities; and WHEREAS, Stamford native Bobby Valentine is a sports legend with strong ties to Fairfield County; in addition to his baseball achievements at Rippowam High School, he was the only three-time all-state football player in Connecticut history; and WHEREAS, Widely recruited out of high school, Bobby Valentine attended the University of Southern California; after his selection in the first round of the Major League Baseball (MLB) draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers, his 10 years as a MLB player included successful stints with the Dodgers, Angels, Padres, Mets and Mariners; and WHEREAS, Upon the completion of his illustrious baseball career, Bobby Valentine opened the first of seven restaurants while working in television for ESPN and NBC; he later coached in the minor leagues with the San Diego Padres and the New York Mets before becoming third-base coach for the Mets in 1982; and WHEREAS, Three years later, Bobby Valentine was named manager of the Texas Rangers, during which time he was named UPI American League Manager of the Year in 1986, and went on to become the winningest manager in Rangers history; and WHEREAS, In 1994, Bobby Valentine became the first American to accept a management position in the Pacific League of Japan for the Chiba Lotte Marines, and in 1995, he took on the role of manager of the Mets AAA club in Norfolk, Virginia; and WHEREAS, Hired as the manager of the New York Mets in 1996, Bobby Valentine led the team to the post season in consecutive years for the first time in team history and to the World Series in 2000; and WHEREAS, In 2004, Bobby Valentine returned to Japan and led the Marines to its first Asian championship; he also became the first foreign manager to win the prestigious Shoriki Award given to the person who contributes the most to Japanese baseball; and WHEREAS, This esteemed man was appointed Director of Public Health and Safety in his hometown of Stamford in 2011, and donated his salary back to the city; that same year, he took on an analyst role for ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball", and returned to the baseball diamond to skipper the Boston Red Sox during the 2012 season; and WHEREAS, Bobby Valentine currently serves as NBC's Senior Baseball Analyst and is the longtime owner of Bobby Valentine's Sports Gallery Cafe in Stamford; and WHEREAS, With a steadfast and unwavering dedication to giving back to the community, Bobby Valentine helped to found the Mickey Lione, Jr. Scholarship Fund, which awards scholarships to Stamford sophomores who excel off the field and exemplify the values that Lione instilled in his athletes and students; and WHEREAS, Bobby Valentine serves on the Board of Directors of Steel Sports; he is also the founder and owner of Bobby Valentine Sports Academy, as well as founder and producer of Makuhari Media LLC; and WHEREAS, It has always been the objective of this Legislative Body to honor and support those individuals who have displayed their commitment to the betterment of their communities, and it is the intent of this Legislative Body to inscribe upon its records, this tribute to Bobby Valentine, that future generations may know and appreciate his admirable character, his many benevolent deeds, and the respect and esteem in which he is held by his peers; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to honor Bobby Valentine upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of the Joe DiMaggio Award by Columbus Citizens Foundation and Futures in Education; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Bobby Valentine.