Jim Palmer: Auctioning Trophies to Make a Difference

Jim Palmer said he no longer needs trophies as mementos of his Hall of Fame career, so the former Baltimore Orioles ace has put his three Cy Young Awards and two of his four Gold Gloves up for auction.

Palmer, currently a TV analyst for the Orioles, did not say he was financially hurting. He's just looking to make some money by selling some of the hardware he received during his 19-year run in the major leagues.

"At this juncture of my life, I would rather concern myself with the education of my grandchildren," Palmer said. "I also have a stepson, (15-year-old) Spencer, who is autistic and will need special care for the rest of his life. My priorities have changed."

A portion of the profits will also be given to the autism project of Palm Beach County.
Hunt Auctions is taking bids online and over the phone through July 8 for the Cy Young Awards that Palmer won in 1973, 1975 and 1976, as well as the Gold Gloves he earned in 1976 and 1979. The live auction will take place on July 10.

Each of the Cy Young Award trophies, given to the best pitcher in each league by vote, is expected to garner between $60,000 and $80,000. The Gold Gloves are expected to receive bids up to $15,000.

"Certainly, when you talk about Cy Young Awards and Gold Gloves, these are the elite level of personal awards," said David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions.

Palmer is the latest in a long line of Hall of Fame stars to put items up for auction, and his reasoning is not necessarily unique.

"Joe DiMaggio did it. So did Ted Williams," Hunt said. "They lived the moments, and their accomplishments are really the reward. It's not all about dollars and cents, either. They want to make sure the items go to homes where people enjoy them. With Jim, we got together and he just decided it was the right time."

Palmer realized his trophies and popularity could be used for charitable gain several years ago when in was Colorado at a fund raiser for cystic fibrosis.

"I donated a Gold Glove, a Cy Young, a round of golf at Caves Country Club and four seats to an Oriole game. And this was back when the Orioles were good — or better than they are now," he said. "There was a gentleman who had a daughter with cystic fibrosis who paid $39,000 for that and never ever took it. It was for the cause."

Until recently, Palmer kept the three Cy Young Awards on a wall in his Florida home. The Gold Gloves were in storage, mainly because his wife, Susan, didn't want them in their home. "Gold doesn't go with my wife's design," Palmer said. "She has a design shop for women's wear in Palm Beach, and she doesn't do gold."
Palmer, 66, says he doesn't need polished pieces of hardware to remind him of what he accomplished over 19 seasons.
"You can't erase the memories of 1973 or 1975 when I came back from my arm injury, when I had 10 shutouts and had to win the last day of the year to beat Catfish Hunter to win a Cy Young and get the ERA down to 2.09," he said. "To me, those are things that happened in the past. I'm really lucky to remember all of them. Whether I have the awards or not, it's not going to take those memories away."

Palmer's recollection of the four straight Gold Gloves he received for fielding prowess at his position is just as vivid. "I was a good fielder to get those, but I didn't win it until Jim Kaat went over to the National League," he said, referring to Kaat's 14-year run of Gold Gloves with the Minnesota Twins.

Palmer hopes his awards end up in the hands of someone who will appreciate them as much as he once did.

"While I am immensely proud to have received these awards, that chapter of my life has passed," he said. "I am aware of people that love baseball and would treasure items like mine. Hopefully, these awards will bring happiness into baseball fans' lives and allow me to make a difference in my family's future."

Council Recognizes Encinitas Little League All-Stars

The 2011 Encinitas Little League 10- and 11-year-old all-star team was recognized at the Sept. 14 Encinitas City Council meeting for its second straight Final Four finish out of approximately 350 leagues in Southern California that  started all-star play.

Mayor James Bond invited the team to attend the meeting, where the boys were recognized at the beginning of the meeting. The players received City of Encinitas custom pins and a proclamation was read by Mayor Bond that highlighted their excellent representation of Encinitas, both on and off the field.

Players, coaches, parents and the Encinitas Little League organization all were grateful to the City Council for the recognition. 

Strikes Name of Game for Hellickson

In the basement of Grandma Rennie's house in Des Moines, Iowa, sit the spoils of Jeremy Hellickson's baseball career. "I keep all my trophies in my grandma's basement," Hellickson said.

Lately, a lot of hardware has been carried down the basement stairs, what with all the minor-league player of the year awards the Rays' rookie right-hander garnered last season. Add to the haul the American League rookie and American League pitcher of the month awards Hellickson received Tuesday and the baseball trophies are beginning to make a formidable presence with some other reminders of Hellickson's athletic success.

 "I think I have more bowling trophies down there," he said. Oh yeah, Hellickson is quite the kegler. Or was. "I haven't bowled since I was 12," Hellickson said. But back then, Hellickson said, he could break 200. He remembers once rolling a 230.

Rays manager Joe Maddon laughed Thursday when he learned Hellickson was as good on the lanes as he is on the mound. "He bowls the way he pitches," Maddon said. "He probably was good. He saw that little dot down there. He threw it over the dot all the time and threw strikes." The key to both sports, obviously, is the ability to throw strikes, and Hellickson can certainly do that. That he's throwing them more with his fastball is the reason for his success, Maddon said. "He had that one bad moment in Baltimore recently (five walks in five innings). We talked to him about it. Since then he tries to utilize more fastball, working his other stuff in with the fastball, and he's done that," Maddon said.

Hellickson, the only player in team history to win a pair of monthly awards in the same month, makes his 11th start of the season this afternoon against the Mariners. He is 6-3 with a 2.80 ERA for the season. In May, he was 4-1 with a 1.36 ERA and held opposing batters to a major league-low .168 average. "It was a good month," said Hellickson, who is even more economical with his words than he is with his pitches.

"I'll tell you this, he doesn't walk all over the conversation," Maddon said. And, Maddon added, Hellickson is a good listener, which is a good trait for Hellickson to have as he negotiates his way through his first full season in the big leagues.

Trophies – Baseball Trophies

It is a nice time of year.  The weather is finally getting warmer and it staying lighter out longer.  For many young children this marks the beginning of their first season playing baseball.  This is a time when it is important to nurture a child’s experience so baseball will be a pass time they will enjoy for years to come.  The most important thing is that the child has fun.  As a coach you have to incorporate fun into every practice while at the same time teaching the children the basics of the game. 

Handing out a trophy to all of the kids on the team is a great way to celebrate the team’s accomplishments and keep the kids engaged in the game.  Since the trophy is for little kids it is important that the trophy is fun as well.  A pinwheel trophy is a fun trophy to hand out.  The trophy actually spins.  It is a colorful trophy that a child can actually play with.  A squish ball trophy is another great idea for a kid’s trophy.  There is actually a squish ball that the kids can remove from the trophy and they can play with.  This particular trophy is a great kid’s trophy because most kids aren’t interested in something that is meant to just sit in their room.  Kids can actually play with the trophy.

Enjoy the warm weather and get a local little league team started.  Be part of child’s love of baseball.  Remember to incorporate fun in your practice this even includes fun baseball trophies.  

Baseball Trophies for All

As kids in the US many grew up playing the game of baseball. Even as little sluggers all kids know baseball and baseball trophies go hand and hand. As a kid you are told winning is not everything yet the kids who left with the trophies always seemed happier. Back in the day if you did not win or were not the player of the game you left empty handed although good lessons can be learned from losing. If you give if you best that is all you can do.

Nowadays the game remains the same yet the awards are presented differently. In most leagues its baseball trophies for everyone. The winners get a trophy and everyone else gets a participation trophy. It is important to give everyone who tries there best a reward as not everyone little kid is blessed with athletic ability. It is a game and it is meant to be fun and when everyone leaves with a reward there is a feeling of accomplishment wins or loss.

So it is baseball trophies for all even though the parents with the shinning star athletes may not approve it is nice for the kids and parents who are just looking for a little after school fun whether the world series is in their future or not.