Judge enjoys special night at BBWAA dinner
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The stars had been out this previous weekend for the 98th annual Baseball Writers’ Association of America Awards dinner in New York, and nobody shined brighter than Aaron Judge.
The new Yankees captain picked up three awards on the New York Hilton Midtown, together with his 2022 American League Most Valuable Player Award. Judge was additionally honored with the Joe DiMaggio Toast of the Town Award and the Sid Mercer/Dick Young New York Player of the Year Award, bestowed by the New York BBWAA chapter.
“None of this would be possible without God surrounding me with so many great individuals,” Judge stated. “I’d wish to thank my spouse, Samantha, for her love and assist all year long and our lives. You proceed to push me and inspire me, day in and day trip, even when it’s 2:30 within the morning and we’re sitting on the sofa, breaking down my movie. You’re proper there with me.
“My parents, Patty and Wayne. The sacrifices you made as I was growing up, I’ll never, ever forget that. You guys would come home from work, and I’d run up to you guys and say, ‘Hey, can we play catch? Can we go to the batting cage?’ You guys never said no. You never hesitated. All you would ask is, ‘Did you finish your homework?’”
“Stepping up to the plate and seeing all of Yankee Stadium on their feet, phones out, you could kind of hear a pin drop,” Judge stated. “It was a pretty surreal moment. You guys were with me every step of the way, and I can’t thank you enough for every high and every low moment of the season. You guys were with us and helped put me in this position.”
Judge stated the 2022 season confirmed him that “no matter what you’re trying to accomplish, or anything you’re going through, you’re never alone” — particularly in New York.
During Saturday’s ceremony, the Yankees’ Anthony Rizzo was honored with the Joan Payson/Shannon Forde Community Service Award. Albert Pujols, Paul Goldschmidt, Sandy Alcantara, Justin Verlander, Julio Rodríguez, Michael Harris II and Jeremy Peña had been among the many luminaries additionally on the dais.
Other award recipients with New York connections included Edwin Díaz (Ben Epstein-Dan Castellano “Good Guy” Award), Buck Showalter (NL Manager of the Year), Gary Cohen, Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez (Willie, Mickey & the Duke Award), and Howie Rose and Mike Vaccaro (Arthur & Milton Richman “You Gotta Have Heart” Awards).
