Grand Street’s Betances earns Thurman Munson Award
On February 3, the Grand Hyatt Hotel was the site of the 35th annual Thurman Munson Awards, which honors success on the field of play and philanthropic work off the field. Hosted by Munson’s widow Diana, the awards dinner benefits the New York City AHRC, which has raised over $13 million since the dinner’s inception for programs to aid children and adults with disabilities.
Munson was the first player to be named as a captain since Lou Gehrig and was known as the “heart and soul” of the team over his 10-year career (1969-1979) as the Yankees’ hardnosed and no nonsense catcher. Through his leadership, Munson led the Yankees back to the World Series three years in a row from 1976 to 1978 until his tragic death in his private Cessna in August of 1979.
Remembering her beloved husband, Mrs. Munson stated, “He never really believed that he was so loved. He must be smiling ear-to-ear realizing that he is still remembered and so revered. This is such a big hug for me coming back to New York, seeing all this love and hearing all these accolades.”