TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) — Baseball Hall of Famer Andre Dawson received the Governor’s Medal of Freedom.
Governor Ron DeSantis said the award recognizes Dawson’s baseball career, his contributions to Florida A&M University, and his lasting impact on the state of Florida.
Dawson was born in Miami and went to Southwest Miami Senior High School. He then went to Florida A&M and walked on to the Rattlers’ baseball team. His performance led the Montreal Expos to select him in the 1975 MLB draft.
“His distinguished career in Major League Baseball, his contributions to the sport, and his lasting impact on our state have earned him this award. ‘The Hawk’ has represented Florida in the best possible way for decades. His generous support of FAMU and its baseball program has helped generations of student-athletes succeed. The Governor’s Medal of Freedom is the highest honor I can bestow on any Floridian, and Andre Dawson truly deserves this recognition,” DeSantis said.
Past recipients of the Governor’s Medal of Freedom include Florida State University football coach Bobby Bowden, golfer Barbara Nicklaus, musician Jimmy Buffett, Coach Lee Corso, and former Florida Supreme Court Justice Charles Canady.
