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PRESS RELEASES - DECEMBER 2007
December 13, 2007
Texas Rangers’ Ron Washington is Arlington MLK Keynote Speaker
James Martin High School Senior is First Place Essay Winner
Texas Rangers Manager Ron Washington will serve as the keynote
speaker at the 2008 Arlington ‘”Sharing the Dream” Awards Banquet.
Washington is a favorite among baseball players and managers drawn
to his limitless enthusiasm and the fundamental teachings of
baseball and life. He made Texas Rangers history in November 2006
when he was named the team’s first African-American manager.
Washington’s keynote message will focus on the celebration’s
theme: “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?” Part II. His
message will come from a personal struggle to rebuild his New
Orleans home swept away by Hurricane Katrina, and his efforts to
build a successful career in major league baseball, according to
“Sharing the Dream” Awards Banquet Chair Lisa Thompson. The Awards
Banquet is 6:30 p.m. Friday, January 18 at UT-Arlington Bluebonnet
ballroom. Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for students.
Summary Bio
Prior to becoming the manager of the Texas Rangers, Washington
spent 11 years as a coach with the Oakland A’s. During his time in
Oakland, the A’s went to the American League Playoffs five times,
including an appearance in the American League Championship Series
in 2006. As a player, Washington appeared in 564 Major League games.
Washington is a 1970 graduate of New Orleans’ John McDonogh High
School. He made his baseball debut in 1977 with the Dodgers, and
despite hitting .368 games in 10 games, did not return to the majors
until 1981 with Minnesota.
Washington earned the reputation as a fundamentally sound utility
player with teams such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore
Orioles, Cleveland Indians and Houston Astros. Rangers Bench Coach
Art Howe calls Washington, “the best infield coach there is.” Texas
Rangers General Manager Jon Daniels describes Washington as having
an “innate ability to fire people up."
MLK Banquet Keynote Speaker
In 2005, Washington’s wife, Gerry, and two dozen family members
evacuated Louisiana safely, but the home in the city’s ninth ward
was devastated, according to news reports. Everything was destroyed,
including his most prized possession: a 1985 steel-top Cadillac
Eldorado Biarritz. Instead of using $68,000 collected by former
Oakland Athletics for himself, Washington distributed it among
family members and neighbors who were hardest hit by the
floodwaters. Washington is a firm believer in the village-raising
concept that it takes a collective group to achieve success.
About the Banquet
The banquet is the kick off event. It will feature student
scholarship winners and presentations of the 2008 “Sharing the
Dream” Awards in Education, Government and Community Service. This
year, the Arlington MLK Committee is proud to present New Orleans’
jazz percussionist Adonis Rose and the Fort Worth Jazz Orchestra.
During the banquet, Tyler Marie Kiles, a senior at James Martin High
School, will read aloud her winning essay entitled: Chaos and
Community. Tickets for the banquet will go on sale Friday, December
21. Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for students.
The banquet precedes four days of celebrations, which include a
step show, multicultural festival, an evening of spoken word/slam
poetry and worship service. New this year: A financial planning
workshop for youth on Saturday. The four-day celebration culminates
on Dr. King’s birthday with the Youth Extravaganza, a free holiday
music and drama presentation on Monday, January 21. During the
Extravaganza, Adonis Rose and the Fort Worth Jazz Orchestra will
present a musical composition commissioned especially for the
Arlington MLK Celebration featuring combined elementary school
choirs.
Read the essays, view art contest winners and a complete listing
of all Arlington MLK events at
www.ArlingtonMLK.com.
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