Atlanta Braves Pitcher Tim Hudson Named Hutch Award Winner

SEATTLE, Nov. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Major League Baseball's Tim Hudson, starting pitcher for the Atlanta Braves, will receive the 46th annual Hutch Award®. The award is given each year to a Major League Baseball player who best exemplifies the honor, courage and dedication of baseball great Fred Hutchinson, both on and off the field.

The 35-year-old native of Columbus, Ga., made his major league debut with the Oakland Athletics in 1999. Since joining the Braves just prior to the 2005 season, Hudson has become a staple in the team's pitching rotation. In 2008 Hudson underwent an extensive reconstructive surgery on his right elbow, but he returned to become more dominant than ever during the 2010 season, earning his third All-Star selection.  

Hudson said he is honored to win the Hutch Award and anticipates his upcoming visit to Seattle and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, founded by Fred's brother Bill, a prominent Seattle surgeon, after Fred died of cancer at age 45.  

"My wife Kim and I have seen firsthand the devastation that a cancer diagnosis can have on a family," Hudson said. "We intend to do all that we can to help to find a cure."

On and off the field, Hudson has a heart for children living with a life-altering or terminal disease. The Hudson Family Foundation, launched in 2009 by Hudson and his wife, helps kids and their families ease the financial burdens of critical illnesses. The Hudsons support the Make-A-Wish Foundation, helping fulfill the wishes of critically ill children by hosting their visits to Atlanta's Turner Field and chairing major fundraisers. In addition, the Hudsons partner with The Moyer Foundation, founded by major league pitcher Jamie Moyer and his wife, Karen, to expand the reach of Camp Erin, a bereavement camp for children age 6-17 who have experienced the death of a loved one.

"We are so thankful to have been placed in a position to be able to help children and families in need," Hudson said. "We know that we are here to serve others."

When Hudson comes to Seattle to receive his Hutch Award, he will visit the Hutch School, an accredited education program for cancer patients and young family members of patients. Joining him will be broadcast analyst and baseball Hall-of-Famer Joe Morgan, who will be the keynote speaker at the Hutch Award Luncheon on Jan. 26 at Safeco Field in Seattle.

The Hutch Award recipient is selected annually through a vote of all surviving former awardees. A total of 45 players have been honored since 1965, when Mickey Mantle accepted the inaugural award. Baseball Hall-of-Famers Sandy Koufax, Carl Yastrzemski, Willie McCovey and Lou Brock all received the Hutch Award; in more recent years Jamie Moyer, Craig Biggio, Mike Sweeney, Jon Lester and Mark Teahen have joined their ranks.

The Hutch Award will be presented to Hudson at the Jan. 26 luncheon, which raises vital funds for early cancer detection research at the Hutchinson Center. For more information or to register for the luncheon, visit www.fhcrc.org/hutchaward.

At Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, our interdisciplinary teams of world-renowned scientists and humanitarians work together to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer and related diseases. Our researchers, including three Nobel laureates, bring a relentless pursuit and passion for health, knowledge and hope to their work and to the world. For more information, please visit www.fhcrc.org.

SOURCE Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center