Burlington's Brian Hood Named 2012 Hobey Baker High School Character Award Recipient

Brian Hood from Burlington was chosen as a 2012 Hobey Baker High School Character Award Recipient.

Hood was a member of the Burlington High School boys varsity hockey team that on March 18 in a game at Boston’s TD Garden.

Each year, local high school hockey players are honored with the Hobey Baker High School Character Award. Sponsored by Warrior Hockey and The Sports Museum and supported by high school coaches in Massachusetts, this award is presented to the boy or girl on each participating high school team that most exemplifies the values and traits of Hobey Baker himself: Character, Commitment, Teamwork, Persistence, Selflessness, Academic Excellence and Sportsmanship.

During the celebration, recipients and their guests enjoyed a guided tour of The Sports Museum at the TD Garden, including a viewing of the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, a trophy given to the top college player in America that serves as a model for the high school award. There was also a speaking program featuring Lane MacDonald (an All-American at Harvard University who won the 1989 Hobey Baker Memorial Award), Bob Sweeney (former player for the Boston Bruins), and several others.

Hobart Amory Hare Baker, born in 1892 in Philadelphia, was arguably the best athlete of his time. Captain of both the football and hockey teams during his years at Princeton University, Baker is now a charter member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, Canada's Hockey Hall of Fame, and Princeton's Hall of Fame. Baker, "The Wonder Player of Hockey,” had skills only topped by his sportsmanship. He was only penalized once in his college career and unfailingly visited his opponents’ locker rooms after each game. Each year since 2003, the Hobey Baker Memorial Foundation honors each high school’s hockey player who best embodies his legacy with the Hobey Baker High School Character Award.

Approximately eighty (80) high school athletes across Massachusetts won this prestigious honor in 2012. About half of the award winners (along with parents, caregivers, coaches, and other guests) were in attendance at the April 9 ceremony at The Sports Museum.

The Sports Museum:

Located on Levels 5 and 6 of the TD Garden, the Sports Museum preserves and showcases the distinctly rich sports heritage of New England through an unparalleled collection of artifacts, multimedia, works of art and interactive exhibits. The Sports Museum is a 501(C)(3) non-profit educational organization dedicated to using sports to teach the values of leadership, respect and cooperation to our youth while honoring leading citizens and athletes of New England.