As President Barack Obama delivered a passionate, call to arms speech at his 50th birthday party and campaign fundraiser at Uptown's Aragon Ballroom Wednesday night, the president's chief of staff Bill Daley was nowhere to be found, opting to attend the Chicago White Sox's "Mayor Daley Night" ceremonies at U.S. Cellular Field.
Bill Daley attended Wednesday night's White Sox game against the New York Yankees to celebrate his brother, former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, who was being honored with the Roland Hemond Award for his service as mayor of Chicago.
The Roland Hemond Award honors those who offer extraordinary personal sacrifice for the benefit of others, and White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf found Mayor Daley, a lifelong White Sox fan, to be the ideal recipient for the award.
"Mayor Daley worked tirelessly for more than two decades to improve this great city and the lives of those who live here," said Reinsdorf in a press release. "He is a reason Chicago maintains such as strong international reputation,and is the idea recipient of the Roland Hemond Award as he has continuously demonstrated character, kindness and generosity- traits similar to those of the award's namesake."
Roland Hemond is an influential and longtime baseball executive who is credited with the original development of baseball's spring training system.
The ceremony also included a special video for the Mayor, a presentation of gifts in recognition of his service to the city and a ceremonial first pitch by Mayor Daley himself.
