Bob Feller Act of Valor Award

The Bob Feller Act of Valor Award, created in 2013, is a set of awards originally presented annually to a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, a current Major League Baseball player, and a United States Navy Chief Petty Officer.[1] In 2015, the Act of Valor Award Foundation added the Jerry Coleman Award to honor a United States Marine Corps Staff Noncommissioned Officer (SNCO), and two more Act of Valor awards for junior Sailor peer-to-peer mentoring organizations. The baseball recipients are honored for their support of United States servicemen and women; the military awardees are honored for achievement that represents the character of Bob Feller. The Award is presented by the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Foundation[2] in conjunction with Major League Baseball, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, the Cleveland Indians, and with the support of the United States Navy and Marine Corps.[3]

Bob Feller Act of Valor Logo

Background

The award is named for Bob Feller, who put his baseball career on hold and became the first American professional athlete to enlist in the military, volunteering for combat service the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor.[4] Feller was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962, his first time on the ballot. When asked “What is the most important game you ever won?”, he would answer “World War II.” He took great pride in his time in the military, and never once regretted placing service to his country before himself. Feller wanted to be remembered as "An American, who happened to be a ballplayer."[5] Despite losing almost four full seasons to wartime service, Feller had an impressive baseball career and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1962. He and Jackie Robinson were elected in their first year of eligibility, the first players to be so honored since the inaugural class of 1936. Feller died in 2010.[6]

History

Peter Fertig conceived the award. He wrote letters to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Major League Baseball, the Cleveland Indians, and the USS Alabama, and said that “within six weeks, I had everybody's support." He garnered support from the business community in Cleveland, as well as Feller's widow Anne Feller. Then he worked with Islip, New York councilman John Cochrane in drafting a proposal. Rear Admiral Michael Jabaley[7] of the United States Navy helped mentor Peter with gaining official support from the United States Navy. It became an official Navy award on Memorial Day, 2013.[8]

In its inaugural year in 2013, three awards were given to represent Bob Feller's life as an MLB player, a U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer, and a National Baseball Hall of Famer. Three MLB finalists were named by the award's board of directors, three Navy Chief Petty Officer finalists were selected by the U.S. Navy, and the Hall of Famer was selected by the board of directors. The announcement of the award took place at the Hall of Fame ceremony on May 25, followed by a presentation to the finalists on July 6, and a selection of the winners on Veterans Day.[8] The awards were presented at the United States Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Jerry Coleman Award

On July 28, 2015, the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Foundation announced that it would present the Jerry Coleman Award to honor a Marine Staff Noncommissioned Officer (SNCO) who "possesses outstanding leadership and unyielding support for the United States Marine Corps and the United States of America". As the 75th Secretary of the Navy, the honorable Ray Mabus made the recommendation for the award to the board of directors, explaining that as Secretary of the Navy, he is responsible for the entire Naval community which includes the United States Marine Corps. The award is named after Jerry Coleman, an MLB Rookie of the Year (1949), All-Star (1950), and World Series MVP (1950), all with the New York Yankees. Coleman was also a longtime broadcaster for the San Diego Padres and was honored with the Ford C. Frick Award, presented by the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Coleman served in the United States Marine Corps in World War II and Korea.[9][10]

Peer-to-peer mentoring awards

Starting in 2015, along with the Bob Feller and Jerry Coleman Awards, the Foundation added two peer-to-peer mentoring awards, one for afloat and one for ashore organizations. The awards "honor groups of junior Sailors that have excelled in encouraging other Sailors to embody the Navy's core values of honor, courage, and commitment, and have worked together to promote peer-to-peer mentorship and reduce destructive personal decision-making and behaviors". The Sailors range from ages 18 to 25 years old.[10][11]

Award recipients
YearNational Baseball Hall of Fame PlayerMLB PlayerUnited States Navy Chief Petty Officer AwardUnited States Marine Corps Jerry Coleman AwardPeer to Peer Award (Afloat)Peer to Peer Award (Ashore)Refs.
2013Yogi BerraJustin VerlanderChief Petty Officer Garth Sinclair–––[12][13]
2014Tommy LasordaNick SwisherChief Petty Officer Carl Thompson–––[14][15]
2015George BrettJonathan LucroyChief Petty Officer Genell CodyStaff Sergeant Rene SeguraUSS Carl Vinson (CVN-70)Hopper Information Services Center[10]
2016Rod CarewBrad ZieglerChief Petty Officer Christopher BeedingGunnery Sergeant Marshall ClevelandUSS ConstitutionTraining Support Center Great Lakes Chapter of the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions (CSADD)[16][17]
2017Tom SeaverDarren O'DayChief Petty Officer Edmundo BrantesStaff Sergeant Adam PlambeckUnmanned Patrol Squadron One Nine (VUP-19)Training Support Center Great Lakes Chapter of the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions (CSADD)[18][19]
2018Johnny BenchSean DoolittleChief Petty Officer Shawn M. WingleGunnery Sergeant Johnathan S. RoseNaval Mobile Construction Battalion 5 in Port Hueneme, CATraining Support Center Great Lakes Chapter of the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions (CSADD)[20]
2019Randy JohnsonIan KennedyChief Petty Officer Jairo N. GuityGunnery Sergeant Joshua A. MacMillanUSS America (LHA6) Junior Enlisted Association (JEA)Training Support Center Great Lakes Chapter of the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions (CSADD)[21]
2020Brooks RobinsonCraig StammenChief Petty Officer Lacresha L. DowdellMaster Sergeant Herman A. KruppaUSS America (LHA 6) Junior Enlisted Association (JEA)Training Support Center Great Lakes Chapter of the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions (CSADD)[22]
  • Yogi Berra with Bob Feller Act of Valor Award
  • 2014 Award Recipients with Bob Feller Act of Valor Awards
  • Jonathan Lucroy at the 2015 Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Ceremony
  • 2016 Recipients at the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Ceremony
  • 2017 Recipients at the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Ceremony
  • Johnny Bench at the 2018 Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Ceremony
  • Randy Johnson and Ian Kennedy at the 2019 Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Ceremony
  • 2020 Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Ceremony Flier

See also

References
  1. "Bob Feller Act of Valor Award". MLB.com.
  2. "Act of Valor Award – Honoring Baseball Legend Bob Feller". actofvaloraward.org.
  3. "The Bob Feller Museum | Act of Valor Award".
  4. Buckheit, Mary (November 12, 2009). "For Feller, Navy was easy decision". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 27, 2012.
  5. Orr, Matthew (December 15, 2010). "Last Word: Bob Feller". The New York Times.
  6. Goldstein, Richard (December 15, 2010). "Bob Feller, Whose Fastball Dazzled, Dies at 92". The New York Times. Retrieved April 29, 2012.
  7. https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/Biographies/Article-View/Article/600086/rear-adm-michael-e-jabaley/
  8. "Peter Fertig was on the ball in creating the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award". Crain's Cleveland Business. April 10, 2013.
  9. "Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Foundation Announces MLB & Hall of Fame Nominees Adds Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Award and Jerry Coleman Award Honoring Marine Corps". MLB.com.
  10. ""I'm very honored:" Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy recipient of "Bob Feller Act of Valor Awards"". September 27, 2015. Retrieved January 9, 2021 – via Fox 6 Milwaukee.
  11. Myers, Meghann (August 7, 2017). "Chief, NCO and junior sailors honored at Bob Feller awards". Navy Times.
  12. Danielson, Dar (October 15, 2013). "First winners announced for the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award". Radio Iowa. Learfield News & Ag. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  13. "Justin Verlander, Yogi Berra among winners of Bob Feller Act of Valor Award". Associated Press. November 6, 2013 – via WJLA.
  14. Frank, Noah (November 6, 2014). "Lasorda, Swisher honored with Bob Feller Award". WTOP. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  15. Andes, Scott (October 9, 2014). "Tommy Lasorda Awarded Bob Feller Act of Valor". Dodgers Way – FanSided. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  16. https://www.carewmedicalwear.com/the-bob-feller-act-of-valor-awards-foundation-announces-rod-carew-and-brad-ziegler-as-the-2016-baseball-honorees/
  17. "Angels Hall of Famer Rod Carew wins Bob Feller Act of Valor Award". October 7, 2016.
  18. "Bob Feller Act of Valor Award 5th Annual Award Ceremony November 16". United States Navy Memorial.
  19. https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-darren-oday-bob-feller-20171003-story.html
  20. "Doolittle honored with Bob Feller Act of Valor Award - Byron Kerr".
  21. "Navy Baseball Takes Part in 2019 Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Ceremony". Naval Academy Athletics.
  22. Harig, Jackie (November 20, 2020). "Brooks Robinson Receives Bob Feller Act of Valor Award". MLB.com. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
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