Veteran Center Receives Ed Block Courage Award
INDIANAPOLIS – Jeff Saturday long has been one of the Colts' most reliable and well-respected players.
Recently, his teammates honored him for something else.
His courage.
Saturday, a 10-year veteran center, has been chosen by his Colts teammates as the club's 2008 recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award, the club announced Wednesday.
Saturday, a Pro Bowl selection from 2005-2007, has started 139 of 148 career games, including 137 starts at center. He has been a part of a line that has allowed the club to be among the most prolific NFL offenses, helped Peyton Manning perform at a level as high as any quarterback in NFL history,
The line has allowed a league-best 191 sacks since 1999.
The Ed Block Courage Award is an annual recognition for courageous play by an individual. Sturday is one of 32 National Football League players cited for the award. The players of each member club nominate an individual annually, and those chosen are honored at a banquet in Baltimore each March.
Block was the head trainer of the Colts from 1954-1977. He served as trainer emeritus
with the club until his death in 1983.
Past Colts Ed Block Award recipients: guard Ryan Lilja (2007), wide receiver Reggie Wayne (2006), linebacker Cato June (2005), linebacker Gary Brackett (2004), defensive end Chad Bratzke (2003), linebacker Rob Morris (2002), quarterback Peyton Manning (2001), defensive tackle Bernard Whittington (2000), linebacker Cornelius Bennett (1999), linebacker Jeff Herrod (1998), defensive back Jason Belser (1997), defensive back Eugene Daniel (1996), wide receiver Wendell Davis (1995), defensive tackle Tony McCoy (1994), defensive tackle Steve Emtman (1993), offensive tackle Kevin Call (1992), linebacker Quintus McDonald (1991), nose tackle Harvey Armstrong (1990), linebacker Chip Banks (1989), offensive guard Ben Utt (1988), linebacker Barry Krauss (1987), defensive back Anthony Young (1986), offensive tackle Karl Baldischwiler (1985) and linebacker Cliff Odom (1984).
The 30th-annual Ed Block Courage Award dinner is scheduled during March in Baltimore, Maryland. Proceeds from the affair benefit the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation in Baltimore. The Ed Block Courage Award Foundation's goal is to establish homes for abused children in each NFL city. Indianapolis established an Ed Block Courage home (Children's Bureau) in October of 2000.
The home is part of a national supnetwork for abused children. Atlanta, Baltimore, Buffalo, Chicago, Carolina, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Miami, New York (Giants), Oakland, Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Seattle have established homes.
