Sports Illustrated announced candidates for its annual Sportsman of the Year award recently, but one name was surprisingly missing from the list.
Pete Frates, the former Boston College baseball player who helped kickstart the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge earlier this year, was snubbed despite leading a viral campaign which helped raise more than $100 million to find a cure for the debilitating disease that he suffers from.
After the snub, Frates’ friends tried to pitch in and make sure he was recognized for his contributions.
Jon Goode, executive vice president of communications for the Lowell Spinners, recently created a Facebook page to garner support for Frates’ recognition by Sports Illustrated, and he was not pleased with SI’s omission.
“I can’t believe they did this. It’s wrong,” Goode said, per The Boston Herald. “I’m sure the nominees are all good people, but when someone raises 
$115 million and awareness of ALS, not to mention all the stuff he and his family sacrifice every day, that person should be recognized. I hope it doesn’t go to the Super Bowl-winning quarterback. It should go to someone who uses sports to change the world.”
ESPN’s Peter Gammons also voiced his support for Frates on the Facebook page, writing that he “enjoyed being drenched and freezing for Pete.”
San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner ended up earning the honors, but Frates’ friends changed their page to let everyone know that in their minds, he’s still No. 1.
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@BostonDotCom
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