Kirk Gibson had his fair share of big swings in the major leagues, two in particular that come to mind. Gibson, the former and popular-as-ever Tigers outfielder, continues to take some big swings today, in his ongoing fight against Parkinson's disease. On Monday, Gibson and his team at the Kirk Gibson Foundation for Parkinson's hosted their 10th annual charity golf outing at Wyndgate Country Club in Rochester Hills.
A full field of 228 golfers participated in the charity golf classic, including several of Gibson's famous friends like Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo, Lions legend Calvin Johnson, fellow 1984 World Series champions Alan Trammell, Lance Parrish and Dave Rozema, and Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets, among other dignitaries. Mia Hutchinson, sister of Lions star Aidan Hutchinson, kicked off the festivities by signing the national anthem. "I feel guilty when people keep talking about the center (Kirk Gibson Center for Parkinson's Wellness) and my contributions, because my teammates have always been the most important thing. Forever," Gibson said Monday. "This will be a great day. We'll take the funds and I promise you that we will do good things and make you proud." A full tally of funds raised Monday still was being finalized, but in the first nine years of the charity golf outing, Gibson's foundation has raised more than $2.4 million. The charity golf outing is the signature fundraiser for Gibson's foundation, which is 2025 opened the Parkinson's center in Farmington Hills. The center is the first of its kind in Michigan, providing free programs for people living with Parkinson's disease. Earlier this month, the center unveiled a new, 2,700-square-foot gymnasium. More: 'He's just relentless': Decade into Parkinson's fight, Kirk Gibson keeps on swinging Gibson, 69, a Waterford native, played 17 seasons in the major leagues, mostly with the Tigers. Post-playing career, he was a Tigers broadcaster and a coach, before he managed the Arizona Diamondbacks. He returned to the Tigers TV booth in 2015, and later that year was diagnosed with Parkinson's, a neurodegenerative disease that impacts speech and movement. More than 1 million Americans are said to be living with the disease, for which there is no cure. Gibson's foundation focuses on helping people in Michigan live with the disease through movement-based programs at the center. tpaul@detroitnews.com @tonypaul1984 This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Ex-Tiger Kirk Gibson continues going to bat for Parkinson's community