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 recognition awards, the George and Barbara Bush Little League Parents of the Year award is a representation of the dedicated parents that make the Little League program possible each year and we cannot think of a more deserving set of parents to receive this year’s award than Patty and Wayne Judge,” said Stephen D. Keener, Little League President and CEO. “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 the time Patty and Wayne became the parents to Aaron Judge, they have lived this mission out not only in their raising of him, 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 new son in their hometown community of Linden, California, where they both worked as teachers. There, the eventual six-time MLB All-Star took to the local baseball fields of Linden Little League at an early age, learning to play the game with the support of his parents and the dedicated volunteers from around his neighborhood. While Aaron quickly showed his athletic prowess as a child, Patty and Wayne were committed to a more important goal for their son – making sure that Aaron was focused on being a good person.
“His mother and I just wanted him to be a really good person,” said Mr. Judge in a 2010 interview with Recordnet. “But we knew from a very young age, as soon as we put a ball in his hand, that he had a lot of natural talent.”
And for the eventual unanimously voted 2017 MLB Rookie of the Year, that athletic dominance quickly showed on the field. But, regardless of the spotlight being shined on him, the multi-sport star always kept himself grounded in the lessons his parents taught him during his childhood, from supporting his teammates to taking time during his basketball season to help clean up trash around his hometown.
“That was one of my favorite things to do. We all got up real early, had breakfast and walked around the community picking up garbage,” said Aaron during that same interview. “We had a lot of fun. It was a good bonding experience.”
On August 18 as the Yankees head to Williamsport as part of the 2024 MLB Little League Classic, fans from around the world will be looking forward to seeing Aaron and his Yankee teammates, but his journey to the Bronx likely wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for his mother, Patty.
“I know I wouldn’t be a New York Yankee if it wasn’t for my mom,” said Aaron in a 2017 MLB.com interview. “The guidance she gave me as a kid growing up, knowing the difference from right and wrong, how to treat people and how to go the extra mile and put in extra work, all that kind of stuff. She’s molded me into the person that I am today.”
And, like many kids growing up playing Little League, it was his father that Aaron looked up and continues to be inspired by.
“He’s always been my hero, always a guy I looked up to,” said Aaron in a 2022 interview with PEOPLE. “Looking back on those childhood memories, I could tell he didn’t want to [play catch]. I could tell he was tired. He’d had a long day of work. But he never said no. He never complained, nothing. So, for me, that’s why he’s still the hero in my eyes.”
Today, Patty and Wayne continue to support Aaron’s record-setting journey throughout the Major Leagues, but most importantly continue to ensure that Aaron remembers the importance of being a good person. In 2018, just two years after his MLB debut, Aaron launched The Aaron Judge ALL RISE Foundation with a mission to inspire children and youth to become responsible citizens and encourage them to reach unlimited possibilities. When it was time to name the President and Executive Director of the non-profit, there was no question that it should be Aaron’s own inspiration for the program – his mother, Patty.
Rooted in community, the first ever Aaron Judge ALL RISE Foundation Baseball ProCamp took place at his high school baseball field in Linden, California, allowing kids aged 9-14 to experience the event at no cost to them, helping to open the door for young baseball players like himself throughout his community.
While today, Aaron is watched by millions of baseball fans around the world for his baseball stardom, he continues to stay rooted in the way he was raised and the importance of community thanks to the work of his parents. The work of the ALL RISE Foundation all stems back to watching his own mother teaching and focusing on the youth in her community throughout the years.
“As the ALL RISE Foundation came into view, she and I would discuss our common desire to help youth and how we could do so,” said Aaron. “In car rides and over meals, we talked about giving youth opportunities to learn leadership skills or how we could encourage youth to develop teamwork. Our core components, the foundation of the ALL RISE Foundation, come from these conversations and her experience as an educator of 33 years. She truly puts into practice her belief that success comes when we all work together, something that has resonated with me throughout my baseball career.”
Established in 1980, the George and Barbara Bush Little League Parents of the Year Award is named for former President Bush and his wife Barbara, who were volunteers during their children’s early years in Texas, and continued to support Little League throughout their lives.
Since that time, this award has traditionally honored the parents of a Major League Baseball player who were actively involved in their son’s Little League experience. Starting in 2022, this award expanded the criteria to include the parents of any professional athlete and/or notable professional in an effort to honor the many diverse, multi-sport athletes who have gone on to notable careers outside of Major League Baseball.
More than recognition of one set of parents, the Parents of the Year Award is designed to be a symbolic recognition of the millions of parents and guardians who each year respond to the call of parental duty and help provide a wholesome healthy arena for leadership training for the children of their respective communities. This award is limited to only one set of parents in a given year, recognized during either the Little League Baseball® or Little League Softball® World Series each summer, if a qualified candidate is nominated.
This year, Patty and Wayne Judge were recognized for their achievement during the 2024 Little League Baseball World Series, Presented by T-Mobile. In addition to their recognition, Aaron Judge and the ALL RISE Foundation also donated copies of the book “Hey Dad! Let’s Have a Catch” with branded stickers that include a message from Aaron, custom bookmarks featuring Aaron’s Little League roster, and as well as ALL RISE #just5minutes wristbands for all the participants at the 2024 Little League Baseball World Series.
