Little League Foundation Trustee Eric Hilton To be Honored at Little League International Congress
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (April 2, 2007) – Eric Hilton, a native Texan, former Little League coach, and trustee of the Little League Foundation for more than 30 years, will receive the Peter O’Malley Little League Distinguished Ambassador Award during the Chairman’s Luncheon at the 24th Little League International Congress in Houston.
PrintMr. O’Malley, former president of the Los Angeles Dodgers and a trustee of the Little League Foundation, will present the Little League Distinguished Ambassador Award to Mr. Hilton. In April 2006, the Eric Hilton Little League Field was dedicated at Wharton Elementary School in Houston, the home of Neartown Little League.
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Stephen D. Keener, president and chief executive officer for Little League Baseball and Softball, left, presents Eric Hilton with a token of appreciation for his service to the Little League during the dedication of the Eric Hilton Little League Field at Neartown Little League in Houston. |
“Eric Hilton has been a trusted and valued supporter of the
Little League program as a local league volunteer and through his
work with the Little League Foundation,” Tim Hughes, chairman of the
Little League International Board of Directors, said. “Mr. Hilton
and his family have displayed unwavering support of the children who
play Little League. The city of Houston in particular has been the
benefactor of Mr. Hilton’s love of Texas, and Little League through
donations made to the Little League Urban Initiative by the Conrad
N. Hilton Foundation. It is with great pride that Little League
honors him with this award.”
As part of a $1 million grant to Little League Baseball and
Softball, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation has pledged $200,000 to
each of five new field projects in urban communities throughout the
United States. The Wharton Elementary Field was the second Hilton
Foundation-sponsored project. The first Hilton Foundation Field was
dedicated in April 2005 at Tuley Park in Chicago. The next field
projects will be completed in Portland, Ore., and The Bronx, N.Y.,
later this year.
Upon receiving the Peter O’Malley Little League Distinguished
Ambassador Award, Mr. Hilton will join a list of past recipients
which includes Mr. O’Malley, former U.S. President George H.W. Bush,
former Director of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, Baseball Hall of
Famer Stan Musial and the late Ed Piszek, founder of Mrs. Paul’s
Kitchens and Little League Foundation trustee, who played a key role
in the growth of Little League in Europe.
The Chairman’s Luncheon on Monday, April 16 is the final formal
event of the triennial Congress. ESPN personality Karl Ravech will
be Master of Ceremonies for the event in the Hilton Americas Grand
Ballroom.
Mr. Ravech has been the studio host of ESPN’s “Baseball Tonight”
since 1995, and also appears on “SportsCenter” as an anchor, and has
previously hosted “College Hoops 2Night” for ESPN2. During the
postseason, he hosts ESPN’s coverage of the Major League Baseball
playoffs and the World Series. In 2005, Mr. Ravech visited Little
League International in Williamsport, Pa., as Baseball Tonight
originated from the Little League Baseball World Series.
More information on the Little League International Congress can be
found here:
http://www.littleleague.org/about/congress.asp
