TRENTON, NJ…Francis Gorst of Cross Plains, Wisconsin was chosen as the recipient of the 2003 Babe Ruth Baseball “Lefty Gomez Volunteer of the Year Award”.  This award was established in 1991 to continue the great name of the late Lefty Gomez, who served as a member of the Babe Ruth League, Inc. Board of Directors for 25 years.  Gomez was extremely fond of the many volunteers in Babe Ruth Baseball who put so much of their time and effort into making the total program successful.  Lefty always said it was the volunteer who was the backbone in making Babe Ruth Baseball the number one amateur baseball program in the world.

Selected from over 1 million volunteers throughout the United States and Canada, Gorst was chosen to receive this prestigious award because of his outstanding contributions to the Babe Ruth Baseball program and the youth it represents.

Francis Gorst has been involved with Babe Ruth Baseball as a League President since 1969.  Today he holds numerous leadership positions including League President, District Commissioner and Assistant State Commissioner.  Serving as League President of the Dane County Babe Ruth League, 101 Cal Ripken, 13-15 and 16-18 teams played for the league program in 2003.

“The ‘Lefty Gomez Volunteer of the Year Award’ is the highest award bestowed in Babe Ruth Baseball,” said Babe Ruth President/CEO Ron Tellefsen.  “Its recipient must embody the spirit of the Babe Ruth League philosophy, which is to provide the best possible sports experience for every child that has the desire to play.  Francis Gorst certainly exemplifies this philosophy.”

Babe Ruth League, Inc. is a non-profit, educational organization dedicated to developing better citizens by providing properly supervised baseball and softball competition for 5 through 18-year-old players.  It is the basic intent of Babe Ruth League, Inc. that every candidate be given the opportunity to play in the program.