The 15th annual Aspire Gala in Baltimore will have a decided Pittsburgh flavor later when the noted charity event is held later this month.
Hall of Fame running back Curtis Martin and former Pirates manager Jim Leyland are two of the three honorees by the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation’s gala on Feb. 22 at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront. The other honoree is former Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Colin Powell.
Martin and Powell will receive the Aspire Award. Leyland will be presented with the Cal Sr. Award.
Martin, 45, will be recognized for his community work, which includes the design and construction of a new youth athletic field in Homewood. Under a public-private partnership, a $14 million multi-sport turf field is being constructed in Martin’s childhood neighborhood.
From Allderdice and Pitt, Martin became one of the NFL’s most prolific running backs and rushed for 14,101 yards in 12 seasons. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012.
Leyland, 74, won more than 1,700 games as a major-league manager and had an 851-863 record in 11 seasons with the Pirates. He is one of only seven managers to win a pennant in the American and National Leagues, and he managed the Florida Marlins to the 1997 World Series championship.
The Apire Gala is billed as one of the largest single-day fundraising events on the east coast and raised $4.4 million in 2018.
Joe Rutter is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joe at jrutter@tribweb.com or via Twitter @tribjoerutter.
