World Series hero, Parkinson's advocate Kirk Gibson to receive Musial honor

ST. LOUIS—A baseball player whose on-field exploits will forever be connected to a pair of St. Louis broadcasting legends will be honored here for his post-career efforts to help those with Parkinson’s disease.

The St. Louis Sports Commission said Monday that Kirk Gibson, the former Detroit Tiger and Los Angeles Dodger who hit the game-winning home run to end Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, will receive a Musial Award for Extraordinary Character during the Nov. 21 Musial Awards ceremony at the Stifel Theater. Gibson himself was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2015. He founded the Kirk Gibson Center for Parkinson’s Wellness, which provides a range of therapy and counseling services, free of charge.

“We admire the humanity and generosity Kirk has displayed in seeking to improve the quality of life for others, and we are inspired by the courage he has shown in his own battle with Parkinson’s,” the Musial family said in a statement released by the St. Louis Sports Commission. “Of course, we can’t overlook his athletic character, and perhaps no moment epitomizes that more than his Game One winning home run in the 1988 World Series. Taken all together, Kirk is quite deserving of the Musial Award for Extraordinary Character, and we’re thrilled we will have the opportunity to honor him at the Musial Awards in November.”

Previous winners of the award include former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald Jr., and Jen Pawol, the first female umpire in a Major League Baseball game.

Gibson won the 1988 National League MVP award with the Dodgers and hit four home runs against the Cardinals that season. His home run in Game 1 of the World Series against the Oakland Athletics off future Cardinals reliever Dennis Eckersley became one of the iconic radio calls featuring St. Louis Cardinals broadcaster Jack Buck. “I don’t believe what I just saw,” Buck exclaimed, as the ball landed in the right field bleachers at Dodger Stadium. On the television side of the broadcast, St. Louis native Joe Garagiola was the analyst for the game with Vin Scully in what was Garagiola’s last World Series on network television.

Tennis legend Billie Jean King was previously announced as this year’s winner of the Stan Musial Lifetime Achievement Award for sportsmanship.

The November event will be condensed into an hour-long program airing nationally on CBS Dec. 26.