Article reposted from Scottsdale Independent
Author: Scottsdale Independent
In recognition of Mark “Rookie” Letendre’s decades of leadership and service to his college alma mater, the University of Maine Alumni Association has awarded him the Block “M” Award.
Mr. Letendre, a Manchester, N. H. native, was presented the award Feb. 22 at an alumni event in Scottsdale, where he and his wife Judy now reside.
Currently Major League Baseball’s Director of Umpire Medical Services, according to a release,
Mr. Letendre had a successful career as team head athletic trainer for the San Francisco Giants and was part of the team that won the 1989 National League pennant, a release states.
Prior to joining the Giants, he served as an athletic trainer in the Major and Minor Leagues for the New York Yankees.
“Rookie has maintained strong ties to the University of Maine since his graduation in 1978,” John Diamond, president and executive director of the UMaine Alumni Association, said in a release.
“He has been a leading force in building our network of UMaine alumni in Arizona, has been philanthropic in support of UMaine initiatives, and has been a terrific ambassador for the university wherever he goes. He sets a great example for all former, current, and future Black Bears.”
Each year a committee of UMaine alumni selects recipients of the association’s top awards based on dozens of nominations submitted. Mr. Letendre’s selection was based on his nomination by two members of UMaine’s Phoenix area alumni chapter: Donald Aldrich of Scottsdale and Prudence Pease Meader of Sun City.
In their nomination of Mr. Letendre, they cited his character and integrity as well as his leadership and support as reasons why he deserved the award.
“I am humbled by this award and thank everyone involved in the awarding process,” Mr. Letendre said in a release. “My learning experience at UMaine by quality educators, afforded me the necessary knowledge and skills to become a contributing member of the athletic training profession over my 40-year career in professional baseball.”
Established in 1875, the University of Maine Alumni Association has more than 107,000 members living in all 50 states and in 112 countries. Over 700 Black Bear alumni currently live in Arizona.