Beliefnet Most Inspiring Person of the Year Award 2004

When Major League Baseball pitcher Curt Schilling was traded to the Boston Red Sox in 2003, it was a homecoming of sorts to the team where he had begun his career in 1986. Schilling's career came full circle as he led the storied franchise to a definitive and dramatic World Series win, the team's first since 1918.

With his intensely focused and humble demeanor, Schilling inspired loyal fans and newbies alike with his dedication to success in the game and his deep commitment to community service. At age 38, Schilling is older than many star pitchers, but the Anchorage, Alaska native served up searing pitches even as a torn ankle tendon threatened to end his career. In one of the most dramatic and memorable images of the World Series, Schilling pitched six innings of Game 2 despite broken stitches that caused blood to seep through his sock. His ankle was successfully repaired with surgery after the season ended.

Schilling's charitable work, including generous and outspoken support for melanoma, children's cancer, and ALS (Lou Gherig's Disease) research, has been recognized with virtually every community service award in baseball as well as Worth Magazine's "Philanthropist of the Year" award in 2002 and USA Today's "Most Caring Athlete" award in 1996. As one of the most prominent members of the Red Sox team, Schilling's combination of generosity and skill made the long-awaited Boston win all the more meaningful.