MLB Commissioner Emeritus Bud Selig, recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award, called his 45-year journey in baseball, one in which he returned baseball to his hometown of Milwaukee and ultimately transformed the entire sport, the realization of a “little boy’s dream that came true.” During roughly 15 minutes of remarks, Selig, who passed the reins to Rob Manfred early last year, covered several key themes from his 22 years as commissioner, including baseball’s role as a social institution and the need to preserve hope and faith each year for as many markets as possible. “It’s important to dream and dream big dreams,” he said of his career. Running the game during the most turbulent period in its history, amid fractious labor disputes and the creation of a drug policy from nothing, Selig said that maintaining steadfast determination on his goals, even in the midst of heated opposition both internally and externally, was crucial to his career. “There was a lot of angst,” he said. “We needed to change the system, and there were a lot of people who didn’t want change and didn’t like change. But it had to happen. There were temptations at times to take an easier way, but ultimately, it just wasn’t worth it.” In his remarks, Selig also joked about the initial harsh criticism that followed the introduction of realignment and the wild card: “You would have thought I defiled motherhood and apple pie.” Selig was introduced by Baseball HOFer Hank Aaron, Selig’s close friend of 58 years. Aaron remarked on the unlikely bond formed in the late '50s between an African-American from Mobile, Ala., and a Jew from Milwaukee. “We all know that Bud can be as tough as nails, so I’ve called our friendship the Hammer and the Nail,” Aaron said. Both Selig and Aaron received extended standing ovations from the crowd of more than 850 (Eric Fisher, Staff Writer).
POPULAR RECIPIENT: MLB.com's Paul Hagen notes Selig received "two standing ovations and was congratulated by numerous other winners" last night. He quoted "historical figures ranging from George Bernard Shaw to Eleanor Roosevelt to Bart Giamatti" during his speech. He also "touched on many of the themes that were a hallmark of his groundbreaking tenure, which included revenue sharing, Interleague Play, expanded playoffs, instant replay, stadium construction, exploding revenue, labor peace and the internationalization of the game through the World Baseball Classic and other initiatives." Selig said of receiving the award, "This has meant a great deal to me. When you're in a sport for 50 years, you develop a lot of relationships. And I've heard from a lot of people, gotten so many messages" (MLB.com, 5/19).
HAMMER-ING HOME THE POINT: Selig was in the spotlight the entire evening, giving interview after interview on the red carpet and being surrounded by friends and family throughout the ceremony. In addition, the sight of Aaron, walking with the help of a cane, thrilled the audience. As he stood on the red carpet surrounded by media, the buzz spread among attendees that he was there and they lined up, holding their phones high in the air, to shoot hundreds of photos. Aaron was welcomed to the stage by SBJ/SBD's Abe Madkour to the soundtrack of “The Natural,” while Selig, a huge Neil Diamond fan, took the stage to the singer’s “Coming To America.”
SHOW OF SUPPORT: Even though MLB is in the midst of a quarterly owners’ meeting being held across town in N.Y., many leaders from across the sport came to banquet to hear Selig’s acceptance speech, including MLB President of Business & Media Bob Bowman, Astros Owner Jim Crane, Royals Owner David Glass, Braves Chair Emeritus Bill Bartholomay, Padres President & CEO Mike Dee, Nationals CRO & CMO Valerie Camillo and Brewers COO Rick Schlesinger (THE DAILY).
