Shane Victorino Day in Hawai’i Nei

By Wendy Osher

4th Annual Shane Victorino Celebrity Golf Classic. Photo courtesy Shane Victorino Foundation; Photo by Irvin Yamada.

Governor Neil Abercrombie declared today Shane Victorino Day in Hawaii.

The Major League baseball player from Maui, is being honored for his accomplishments and continued efforts in supporting Hawaii’s youth through his Shane Victorino Foundation.

“It’s one of those days, maybe go out and enjoy a Vic Pac at Zippy’s and help the foundation grow,” said Phillies center-fielder, Victorino in a morning interview on Hawaii News Now.

Over the weekend, the St. Anthony alumni hosted the 4th Annual Shane Victorino Celebrity Golf Classic in Wailea.  The event helps to raise funds for under-served keiki in Hawaii.

Money raised from the event goes toward educational, recreational and wellness programs for Hawaii’s youth.

Victorino also appeared as a special guest at a weekend basketball clinic in West Maui.

The proclamation recognizes Victorino for his work through the Shane Victorino Foundation, which has raised more than $550,000 for children’s charities throughout Hawaii, including: the Best Buddies of Hawaii, Boys & Girls Clubsof Maui, Hawaii Branch of the International Dyslexia Association, Hawaii Children’s Cancer Foundation, Maui Family Support Services, Ma Ka Hana Ka ‘Ike, Palama Settlement, and the Waipio Little League.

4th Annual Shane Victorino Celebrity Golf Classic. Photo courtesy Shane Victorino Foundation; Photo by Irvin Yamada.

The foundation pledged nearly $1 million to renovate a Philadelphia Boys & Girls Club that was recently reopened as the Shane Victorino Boys & Girls Club.  The contribution, makes him only the second MLB player to have a club named in his honor.

Victorino is a two-time Major League Baseball National League All Star and three-time Gold Glove Award winning center fielder for the Philadelphia Phillies.

He was recently inducted as the 20th Member of the Baseball Humanitarian’s Hall of Fame with the presentation of the Branch Rickey Award.  Victornio was also named by the US Jaycees as one of the 2011 Top 10 Young Americans.

4th Annual Shane Victorino Celebrity Golf Classic. Photo courtesy Shane Victorino Foundation; Photo by Irvin Yamada.

Before becoming a MLB player, Victorino excelled in Track and Field, winning the 100, 200, and 400 meter races at the Hawaii State Championships in 1999.  At the time he also set the Hawaii High School Athletic Association 100-meter record.

Victorino was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the sixth round of the 1999 amateur draft, becoming only the second Maui born athlete to play Major League Baseball.

His current career with the Philadelphia Phillies keeps him away from Hawaii for much of the year; but Victorino has managed to come home for key events including this past weekend’s fundraising tournament.