Three members of the sports world were chosen on Wednesday to receive the nation’s highest civilian honor.
On Wednesday, President Barack Obama announced that three members of the sports world will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. NBA Hall of Famers Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and recently retired Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully are among the 21 recipients that will be awarded the honor next Tuesday at the White House.
To receive the nation’s highest civilian honor, an award given to those who have made significant cultural or security contributions not just to the United States but to the world is truly something special and something that President Obama reminded everyone in a White House press release.
"“The Presidential Medal of Freedom is not just our nation’s highest civilian honor – it’s a tribute to the idea that all of us, no matter where we come from, have the opportunity to change this country for the better. From scientists, philanthropists, and public servants to activists, athletes, and artists, these 21 individuals have helped push America forward, inspiring millions of people around the world along the way.”"
Jordan played in parts of 15 seasons in the NBA for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards, winning six titles in Chicago and five Most Valuable Player awards. Many would also say that he is directly responsible for an entire generation of athletes aspiring to be the best they can possibly be. Just ask Kobe Bryant.
Abdul-Jabbar also won six championships in the NBA, five with the Los Angeles Lakers and another with the Milwaukee Bucks, and to this day remains the league’s all-time leading scorer. He’s been very active in his life after basketball and has been a regular contributor to discussions of religion and race. In 2012, he accepted a position as a cultural ambassador to the U.S. from then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Scully was a broadcaster for the Dodgers for an unbelievable 67 seasons, following the team from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in the process. Scully also lent his talents to numerous World Series and other big sporting events and is widely regarded as the greatest announcer in history. Scully was awarded the Ford Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982 and also won a Lifetime Achievement Emmy in 1995.
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Joining Jordan, Abdul-Jabbar and Scully in receiving this honor are comedienne Ellen DeGeneres, actor Robert De Niro, physicist Richard Garwin, Bill and Melinda Gates, architect Frank Gehry, NASA software creator Margaret H. Hamilton, actor Tom Hanks, artist and designer Maya Lin, Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels, attorney Newt Minow, President of Miami Dade College Eduardo Padrón, actor and director Robert Redford, entertainer Diana Ross, singer/songwriter Bruce Springsteen and actress Cicely Tyson.
Blackfeet Tribal community leader Elouise Cobell and “the first lady of software” Grace Hopper will receive the award posthumously.