TRENTON, NJ…Western Massachusetts Cal Ripken State Commissioner James Edelman of Monterey, Massachusetts, was chosen as the recipient of the 2006 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, Edelman was chosen to receive this prestigious award because of his outstanding contributions to the Babe Ruth Baseball program and
the youth it represents.
Under Edelman’s leadership, the Western Massachusetts Cal Ripken program started with eleven players in the year 2000 and has since grown to include over 7,000 players and 26 leagues. Western Massachusetts was one of the fastest growing Cal Ripken state organizations from 2005 to 2006.
“The ‘Lefty Gomez Volunteer of the Year Award’ is the highest award bestowed in Babe Ruth Baseball,” said Babe Ruth President/CEO Steven 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.
Jim Edelman certainly exemplifies this philosophy.” Edelman resides in Monterey with his wife, Carol and children Annabel and Jacob. Edelman is a Realtor/ ”Green” General Contractor. Babe Ruth League, Inc. is a non-profit, educational organization dedicated to developing better citizens by providing properly supervised baseball and softball competition for 4 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..
