Carl Erskine honored with the Buck O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award
Carl Erskine of the Brooklyn Dodgers in action on May 18, 1952. Credit: Anonymous
COOPERSTOWN — Carl Erskine wasn’t just that 122-game winner with the Dodgers of Brooklyn and Los Angeles, that former pitcher with two no-hitters and 14 strikeouts in Game 3 of the 1953 World Series against the Yankees. He stood out away from baseball, too.
He volunteered with Special Olympics for more than 40 years and worked to help those with intellectual disabilities and their families. Erskine and wife Betty’s fourth child, Jimmy, was born with Down syndrome. Erskine also was a charter member of the Baseball Assistance Team, which provides medical, psychological and financial help for those in the baseball family in need.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum honored Erskine on Saturday with the Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award. Gary Erskine accepted on behalf of his 96-year-old dad back in Anderson, Indiana.
“I think there’s a lot of strength in having humility, and I’ve tried my best to do that,” Carl Erskine said in a video. “Servant leader; that resonates strong with me.”
Pat Hughes, the radio play-by-play voice of the Cubs since 1996, received the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting excellence.
Former longtime Tigers beat writer John Lowe took the BBWAA Career Excellence Award.
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