Torres named Thurman Munson Awards honoree

January 8th, 2020

NEW YORK -- has been announced among the honorees at the 40th annual Thurman Munson Awards dinner, which recognizes success and inspiration on the fields of play as well as community spirit off the field.

Also selected to receive Munson Awards are former Yankee and longtime big league manager Lou Piniella, Mets infielder , former Mets reliever John Franco and Basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman. The dinner is scheduled for Feb. 4 at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers in New York.

Michael Kay will serve as the master of ceremonies for the awards and dinner, which pay homage to the late Yankees captain, whose life was tragically cut short by a plane crash on Aug. 2, 1979.

Thrilling Yankees fans with an excellent sophomore campaign that saw the infielder bat .278 with 38 home runs and 90 RBIs, Torres quietly made his mark off the field. He volunteered at New York public schools, helping Spanish-speaking students learn English, and visited with numerous children receiving cancer treatments.

In 2018, Torres was so touched by a visit to P.S. 55 in The Bronx that he made a significant donation, arranging for each student to receive a Christmas gift. This past spring, Torres spent time with 13-year-old Zack Schwartz as part of the Make-A-Wish program, delivering on a promise to homer in that day’s game.

The event benefits the AHRC NYC Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that supports programs for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Diana Munson, Thurman's widow, will attend her 40th consecutive benefit. She has been involved since its inception, helping to raise more than $16 million to support richer, more productive lives for the people AHRC serves.

AHRC NYC is one of the largest organizations of its kind, serving 15,000 children and adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injuries and other disabilities.

For tickets and more information, call 212-249-6188 or visit https://www.ahrcnycfoundation.org/munson/.