PHOTO PROVIDED: Wayne Judge (left) stands for a photo with Aaron (center) and Patty (right) during the Little League World Series.
With the New York Yankees coming to Williamsport for the 2024 MLB Little League® Classic on August 18, Little League International is pleased to announce Patty and Wayne Judge, parents of Yankees outfielder and captain Aaron Judge, as the 2024 George and Barbara Bush Little League Parents of the Year.
“One of our most prestigious awards, the George and Barbara Bush Little League Parents of the Year award, recognizes the dedicated parents who make the Little League program possible each year, and we can’t think of any parents more deserving of the award this year than Patty and Wayne Judge,” said Little League President and CEO Stephen D. Keener. “As an organization, our mission is to teach life lessons that build strong individuals and communities through the power of youth baseball and softball. Since becoming parents to Aaron Judge, Patty and Wayne have lived that mission not only in his upbringing, but in the inspiring work they continue to do in communities around the world.”
After adopting Aaron at two days old, Mr. and Mrs. Judge raised their newborn son in their hometown of Linden, California, where they both worked as teachers. There, the future six-time MLB All-Star played at the local Linden Little League baseball fields from a young age, learning the game with the support of his parents and dedicated neighborhood volunteers. While Aaron showed his athletic ability as a child, Patty and Wayne had a more important goal for their son – making sure Aaron focused on being a good person.
“His mother and I just wanted him to be a really good person,” Mr. Judge said in an interview with Recordnet in 2010. “But we knew from a young age that he had a lot of natural talent as soon as we put a ball in his hands.”
And the player who would later be unanimously voted MLB Rookie of the Year in 2017 quickly showed that athletic dominance on the field. But regardless of the spotlight on him, the multi-sport star always stayed true to the lessons his parents taught him growing up, such as supporting his teammates and taking time out during his basketball season to help clean up trash in his hometown.
“It was one of my favorite things to do. We all got up really early, had breakfast and walked around the community picking up trash,” Aaron said in the same interview. “We had a lot of fun. It was a great experience that brought us together.”
When the Yankees headed to Williamsport on August 18 for the 2024 MLB Little League Classic, fans from around the world were excited to see Aaron and his Yankee teammates, but he likely wouldn’t have been able to make the trip to the Bronx if it weren’t for his mother, Patty.
“I know I wouldn’t be a New York Yankee without my mom,” Aaron said in a 2017 interview with MLB.com. “She guided me as a kid, showed me the difference between right and wrong, showed me how to deal with people and how to try extra hard and do more, all of those things. She made me the person I am today.”
And like many kids who played Little League during their childhood, it was his father that Aaron looked up to and continues to inspire him today.
“He was always my hero, always a guy I looked up to,” Aaron said in an interview with PEOPLE in 2022. “When I look back at those childhood memories, I can tell he didn’t want to (play catch). I can tell he was tired. He had a long day at work. But he never said no. He never complained, nothing. That’s why he’s still the hero in my eyes.”
Today, Patty and Wayne continue to support Aaron’s record-breaking journey through the Major Leagues, but most importantly, they continue to make sure Aaron doesn’t forget the importance of being a good person. In 2018, just two years after his MLB debut, Aaron founded the Aaron Judge ALL RISE Foundation with the mission of inspiring children and youth to become responsible citizens and encouraging them to achieve unlimited possibilities.
When it came time to name the nonprofit’s president and CEO, there was no question that it would be Aaron’s own inspiration for the program – his mother, Patty.
The first-ever Aaron Judge ALL RISE Foundation Baseball ProCamp was held on his high school baseball field in Linden, California. Children ages 9 to 14 were able to attend the event for free, opening the door to young baseball players like him throughout his community.
Although Aaron is now watched by millions of baseball fans around the world for his fame as a baseball star, thanks to the work of his parents, he remains true to his upbringing and the importance of community.
The work of the ALL RISE Foundation dates back to the years he spent watching his own mother teach and focus on the youth of her community.
“When the ALL RISE Foundation came into view, she and I talked about our shared desire to help youth and how we could do that,” Aaron said. “Over car rides and meals, we talked about giving youth the opportunity to learn leadership skills or how we could encourage them to develop teamwork. Our core ingredients, the foundation of the ALL RISE Foundation, came from those conversations and her 33 years of experience as an educator. She really puts into practice her belief that success comes when we all work together, something that has stuck with me throughout my baseball career.”
Established in 1980, the George and Barbara Bush Little League Parents of the Year Award is named after former President Bush and his wife, Barbara, who volunteered during their children’s early years in Texas and supported Little League throughout their lives.
Since then, this award has traditionally honored the parents of a Major League Baseball player who were actively involved in their son’s Little League experience. Beginning in 2022, the criteria for this award has been expanded to include the parents of all professional athletes and/or notable professionals to honor the many diverse, versatile athletes who have had notable careers outside of Major League Baseball.
The Parent of the Year Award is more than recognition of one set of parents. Rather, it is a symbolic recognition of the millions of parents and guardians who each year answer the call of parental duty and help provide a healthy leadership development environment for the children of their respective communities. This award is given to only one set of parents each year and is presented each year during the Little League Baseball® or Little League Softball® World Series when a qualified candidate is nominated.
This year, Patty and Wayne Judge were recognized for their performance during the 2024 Little League Baseball World Series presented by T-Mobile. In addition to their award, Aaron Judge and the ALL RISE Foundation also donated copies of the book “Hey Dad! Let’s Have a Catch” with branded stickers featuring a message from Aaron, custom bookmarks featuring Aaron’s Little League squad, and ALL RISE #just5minutes wristbands for all 2024 Little League Baseball World Series participants.
