Fred Wilpon is chairman and chief executive officer of the New York Mets, co-founder and chairman of the Board of Sterling Equities, and co-founder and chairman of the Brooklyn Baseball Company which owns the Brooklyn Cyclones, a minor league team. As principal owner of the Mets, Wilpon has helped manage the franchise to become a major contender in Major League Baseball.
He is also senior partner of SportsNet New York, a regional sports network serving the New York metropolitan region in partnership with Comcast and Time Warner. Wilpon played baseball at U-M until an arm injury cut short his career, but a scholarship grant enabled him to continue his studies at Michigan. Wilpon and his wife, Judy, earned Bachelor of Arts degrees from U-M in 1958.
The Bone & Joint Injury Prevention & Rehabilitation Center was established by Fred and Judy with a commitment through their family foundation. “This gift from Fred and Judy is a perfect example of our alumni expressing their passion for Michigan through their generosity. We are grateful for this support and the many ways the Wilpon's gift will affect so many facets of the University,” said President Mary Sue Coleman.
The leadership gift to U-M Kinesiology and the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery created the Center, which focuses on enhancing lifelong optimal health by preventing injuries and promoting physical activity for people of all ages and abilities. The interdisciplinary center brings together specialists in such disciplines as kinesiology, orthopedic surgery, bioengineering, public health and sports medicine to generate new insights into the root of injuries and the means to prevent them.
In many cases, sport-related injuries bring on degenerative joint disease and other mobility impairments that take their toll over a lifetime. By current estimates, nearly half of these injuries could be prevented.
“Through my own life experiences, I know how much happiness that sports activities, both as a player and fan, can bring a person,” Fred Wilpon said. “Judy and I wanted to help create this center at Michigan through our family foundation to ensure that children and adults who love sports can enjoy them to their fullest with reduced risk of injury and impairment. Educating them and providing the best medical advice available helps make this a possibility.”
For more information on how you or your organization can make a difference as a Philanthropic Partner of the Center, please contact Center director Ron Zernicke, Ph.D., D.Sc., at 734-930-7070, or email at zernicke@umich.edu.
Carol Hutchins has seen a lot as a college softball player, and now as coach of the Wolverines for more than 25 years. Hutchins coached the team in 2005, winning the first NCAA championship title ever won by a softball team located north of the Mason-Dixon Line.