DeSantis Awards Governor's Medal of Freedom to Baseball Hall of Famer Andre Dawson
TALLAHASSEE, Leon County, Florida — Governor Ron DeSantis presented the Governor's Medal of Freedom to Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Andre Dawson at the Florida Capitol on October 19. The medal is the highest honor the Governor of Florida can bestow on a civilian, and DeSantis said Dawson is the first professional athlete to receive it.
DeSantis said Dawson's distinguished baseball career, his contributions to the sport and his lasting impact on Florida earned him the award, adding that "The Hawk" has represented Florida in the best possible way for decades and that his generous support of Florida A&M University (FAMU) and its baseball program has helped generations of student-athletes succeed. Dawson, 72, said in his acceptance remarks that he was very thankful and humbled.
A Miami native, Dawson was unrecruited out of Southwest Miami Senior High School and walked on to the FAMU baseball team, playing for the Rattlers from 1972 to 1975. The Montreal Expos selected him in the 1975 MLB Draft, and he earned National League Rookie of the Year honors in 1977. Over a 21-year career he played for the Expos, the Chicago Cubs, the Boston Red Sox and the Florida Marlins, earning eight All-Star selections, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010. (GSM, via the Office of Governor Ron DeSantis)
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：迈阿密市区（资料图）。照片：Wikimedia Commons。Miami, Florida (file photo). Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
