The 33rd Annual Thurman Munson Award recipients were announced today and include: Aly Raisman, U.S.A. Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast; CC Sabathia, Yankees all-star pitcher; Chris Canty, New York Giants defensive tackle; Ike Davis, New York Mets first baseman; and Greg Anthony, former Knicks guard and current CBS Sports/YES Network basketball analyst. The AHRC New York City Foundation will present the awards on Tuesday night, February 5, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City.
In addition, Yankees rookie pitcher David Phelps will receive the second annual “Rising Star” Award.
The awards remember the late, great Yankees catcher and captain Thurman Munson. Diana Munson, Thurman’s widow, will attend her 33rd straight benefit, having been involved since its inception, raising nearly $12 million to assist children and adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Thurman Munson Awards are presented for success on the field of play and philanthropic works off the field.
For tickets and information on the Munson Awards Dinner call 212-249-6188.
Raisman brought home Olympic gold from London in 2012; Sabathia is a six-time All-Star; former Cy Young Award recipient and Yankees World Series champion; Canty was a member of the Giants Super Bowl championship team last year; Anthony won the NCAA basketball championship at UNLV prior to a 12-year NBA career; and Davis led the Mets in home runs last season with 32, and is the son of Munson’s teammate Ron Davis.
The AHRC New York City Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that supports programs enabling children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to lead richer, more productive lives, including programs of AHRC New York City. AHRC New York City is one of the largest organizations of its kind, serving 15,000 children and adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injuries and other disabilities.
The list of notable sports legends previously honored with “Thurmans” includes: Muhammed Ali, Arthur Ashe, Yogi Berra, Mariano Rivera, Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, Earl Monroe, Patrick Ewing, Harry Carson, Jim Brown, Tom Seaver and Gary Carter just to name a few.
Anthony, a defensive specialist and point guard, was the Knicks’ first round pick in the 1991 draft. The previous year, he led the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels to their only NCAA Championship, beating Duke in the 1990 final. After 12 seasons in the NBA, including a trip to the 1994 NBA Finals with the Knicks, Anthony retired in 2002 to pursue a broadcasting career. Initially working as a basketball analyst for ESPN, he is now a college basketball studio analyst for CBS Sports.
Canty, a defensive tackle on the Giants’ respected defensive line, had a career best year in 2011 helping the Giants win their second Super Bowl in five years. The Bronx native played at the University of Virginia where he was Second-team All-ACC his junior year. In 2005, Canty was drafted in the fourth round by the Dallas Cowboys where he played four seasons before signing with the Giants in 2009.
Davis burst on the scene as a rookie with the Mets in 2010. His 19 home runs and 71 RBI were among the best rookie numbers in team history. After missing most of 2011 due to injury, Davis led the Mets with 32 home runs last season, while knocking in 90 runs, second to David Wright’s 93 RBI.
Olympic gold medalist Raisman won gold in the individual floor exercise and also captained the US Women’s Gymnastics team to a gold medal in the team final at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Raisman also brought home the bronze in the individual balance beam. The lifelong gymnast was a key part of the US women winning their first Olympic team gold since 1996.
Sabathia, a veteran of 12-year major league seasons, is a six time All-Star, Cy Young Award recipient and key member of the Yankees 2009 World Championship team. In 2012, Sabathia was 15-6 for the Yankees with a 3.38 ERA, threw 200 innings or more for sixth consecutive season, and has one of the most durable arms in baseball. He has a 9-5 record (.643) in post-season play, and earned his first 20-win season in 2010 as a Yankee.
Phelps, the young Yankees’ pitching prospect, made his MLB debut this past season. After being named the Yankees’ minor league pitcher of the year in 2010, Phelps was promoted to the started rotation in late April before being moved back to the bullpen to make room for Andy Pettitte. He finished with a 4-4 record, 3.34 ERA and 96 strikeouts.
