PENSACOLA, Fla. — The Pensacola Sports 70th Annual Awards Banquet took place at the Brownsville Community Center Tuesday night.
Hometown sports icons and upcoming athletes were recognized for their achievements.
NFL pro Doug Baldwin, and once the fastest man in the world, Justin Gatlin both say they wouldn’t be who they are without Pensacola.
More than two hundred families, athletes and friends came together to celebrate.
“We’ll be recognizing everything from aquatics to wrestling,” Pensacola Sports CEO Ray Palmer said.
Special achievement awards were given to dozens of athletes from various sports, like weightlifting.
“It’s pretty cool, getting in the big leagues,” Pace High School weightlifter Kollin Daniels said.
“It’s kind of shocking,” Special Olympics athlete Samuel Johnson said. “But I love it though, at the same time.”
Four Pensacola-grown sports pros were inducted into the program’s hall of fame. Olympic gold medalist sprinter Justin Gatlin is one.
“I’ve been inducted in a few hall of fames but tonight is special because it’s my hometown,” said Gatlin. “It’s where the sport really came from the roots of me growing up.”
Gatlin went to Woodham High School.
“…And to be acknowledged by the city, it has embraced me and all of my accolades and my triumphs, it couldn’t mean couldn’t be in a better place,” Gatlin said. “Pensacola is home and I love it.”
Baldwin the former Seattle Seahawk from Gulf Breeze is also entering the Pensacola Sports Hall of Fame this year.
“I’m just honored to be among that list of names… The way that I think about the world, the way I maneuver and navigate through the things that I’m going through right now, it’s based off of my experiences growing up in Pensacola and Gulf Breeze,” Baldwin said. “So I’m very grateful for the experiences and the lessons that I’ve learned and to be here tonight amongst family and friends being recognized for this achievement.”
Superbowl LX Champion Devin Witherspoon was given a “special recognition” award. Although he wasn’t there to accept the trophy, Washington Commander Jeremy Reaves left him a message.
“So shout out to spoon, shout out to represent Pensacola at the highest level in the Super Bowl, getting you a chip, playing your ass off, excuse me in that game,” Reaves said. “That’s awesome, man. You lived a lot of kids’ dreams. You lived my dream, man. So I was just as happy as if I was playing in it.”
Congratulations to every athlete who won an award — amateur, pro or Olympian.
Watch below for the full interview with Doug Baldwin. To find out about the community center he created, inspired by the Salvation Army in Pensacola, visit this link.