Tigers' icon Kirk Gibson to be honored with Stan Musial Award

Kirk Gibson won two World Series titles, a Most Valuable Player award and a Silver Slugger in his playing days.

But the Tigers’ legend considers his later-in-life work his greatest accomplishment, by far.

Gibson, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2015 and opened the Kirk Gibson Center for Parkinson’s Wellness in Farmington Hills in 2025, will be honored for his latest and greatest life mission next month.

The Musial Awards, named after St. Louis Cardinals great and Hall-of-Famer Stan Musial, announced Monday, Oct. 12, that Gibson will receive the Musial Award for Extraordinary Character during a ceremony at Stifel Theatre in St. Louis on Nov. 21. The awards are presented by Maryville University, and they are endorsed by the Musial family.

“We admire the humanity and generosity Kirk has displayed in seeking to improve the quality of life for others, and we are inspired by the courage he has shown in his own battle with Parkinson’s,” the Musial family said in a statement. “Of course, we can’t overlook his athletic character, and perhaps no moment epitomizes that more than his Game 1 winning home run in the 1988 World Series.

“Taken all together, Kirk is quite deserving of the Musial Award for Extraordinary Character, and we’re thrilled we will have the opportunity to honor him at the Musial Awards in November.”

Gibson, 69, will be honored at the Musial Awards along with tennis trailblazer Billie Jean King, who is receiving the Stan Musial Lifetime Achievement Award. The awards will air in one-hour special on CBS on Dec. 26.

Gibson, a Waterford native and former Michigan State football and baseball star, played in the majors from 1979-95, leading the Tigers to the 1984 World Series championship. Four years later, he won another World Series, with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He had one at-bat in that series, but it was a memorable one. He hobbled to the plate as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning of Game 1, and hit a walk-off home run off Oakland A’s closer Dennis Eckersley. That is considered one of the most-clutch moments in baseball history.

‘He’s just relentless’: Decade into Parkinson’s fight, Kirk Gibson keeps on swinging

After retiring as a player, he was a manager, coach and broadcaster. In 2015, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and has been a tireless champion for people living with Parkinson’s in Metro Detroit, raising millions.

Last year, he opened the first-of-its-kind wellness center, which offers free programming and services for Metro Detroiters afflicted with the disease. Earlier this month, Gibson’s foundation announced a new “Inspiring Hope” campaign, aimed at raising $30 million for the next phase of the center’s growth.

The “Inspiring Hope” campaign already has raised $15.5 million. This year, the center has received multiple seven-figure donations, including $1 million from Rocket Companies executive Jay Farner. This summer, the center opened a new multipurpose gymnasium.

The Kirk Gibson Center for Parkinson’s Wellness has 800 members, and it is expected to reach over 1,500 by the end of 2026. Officials expect the membership to double in the coming few years.

“As fiercely as he competed as a player, Gibson has brought the same ferocity into his battle against Parkinson’s, while adding a healthy dose of compassion to help thousands of others who are suffering from the disease,” Musial Awards organizers said in a statement Monday.

“Gibson’s foundation aims to empower each person that walks through the doors to take back control of their lives, maintain independence, and enhance their quality of life. At the center, they know they are not alone. Gibson is there to give them encouragement, inspiration, and the will to keep going.”

tpaul@detroitnews.com

@tonypaul1984

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Tigers’ icon Kirk Gibson to be honored with Stan Musial Award