Former MLB player and manager Kirk Gibson revealed Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press has more:
Gibson spoke about the diagnosis in a statement, per James Jahnke and George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press:
I have faced many different obstacles in my life, and have always maintained a strong belief that no matter the circumstances, I could overcome those obstacles. While this diagnosis poses a new kind of challenge for me, I intend to stay true to my beliefs. With the support of my family and friends, I will meet this challenge with the same determination and unwavering intensity that I have displayed in all of my endeavors in life. I look forward to being back at the ballpark as soon as possible.
Gibson spent 17 seasons in the major leagues as a player with the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates. For his career, he hit .268 with 255 home runs and 870 RBI.
He won the National League MVP Award with the Dodgers in 1988 and memorably hit a walk-off home run against Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the World Series that same season, despite being injured. He was a two-time World Series champion.
He was also the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2010 to 2014, winning NL Manager of the Year in 2011. This season, he was slated to be a part of the Tigers broadcast team but hadn’t appeared in the booth since Opening Day.
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