Description
Event Details
Event:
Inaugural Hubert V. & Audrey L.M. Simmons Pillar of Service Award
Date & Time:
Sunday, October 19, 2025 | 1:30 PM – 5:00 PM (doors open at 1:15 PM)
Location:
Owings Mills Metro Centre, 10302 Grand Central Avenue, Owings Mills, MD 21117
Tickets:
Starting at $80 per person
Entertainment:
Jumpstreet (jazz ensemble)
Hubert V. & Audrey L.M. Simmons Pillar of Service Award to Honor Legacy of Community Service
Owings Mills, MD — October 19, 2025 — The Hubert V. Simmons Museum of Negro Leagues Baseball, Inc. (SMNLB) is proud to announce the Inaugural Hubert V. & Audrey L.M. Simmons Pillar of Service Award, a biennial honor recognizing outstanding community leadership and service. The event will be held on Sunday, October 19, 2025, from 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM at the Owings Mills Metro Centre, 10302 Grand Central Avenue, Owings Mills, MD 21117.
This year’s award will be presented posthumously to Mrs. Audrey Lorraine Malone Simmons (October 19, 1931 – January 21, 2025), one of the museum’s beloved founders. Audrey Simmons, who passed away earlier this year at the age of 93, will be celebrated for her lifelong service to the community and her enduring contributions to preserving African American history and culture.
The program will feature distinguished speakers, heartfelt presentations, and live musical entertainment. Mrs. Simmons’ love of jazz will be honored with a special performance by Jumpstreet, with additional entertainment and an emcee to be announced.
A Legacy of Vision and Service
The Hubert V. Simmons Museum of Negro Leagues Baseball (SMNLB) was founded on June 28, 2008, when former Negro Leagues player Hubert V. “Bert” Simmons, his wife Audrey L. Simmons, and their friend Rayner “Ray” Banks gathered to begin building what would become a living tribute to the Negro Leagues and their players.
In November 2013, Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz announced that the Museum would have a permanent home at the Owings Mills Metro Centre Complex, alongside the Baltimore County Public Library and the Community College of Baltimore County. A grand opening followed in Spring 2014, cementing the Museum as a vital cultural and educational institution.
The Simmons Museum continues to collect, preserve, and display artifacts, photographs, oral histories, and memorabilia, ensuring that the legacy of the Negro Leagues lives on for future generations. Its programs emphasize youth engagement, character development, and the principles of good sportsmanship—values embodied by both Hubert and Audrey Simmons.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Hubert V. Simmons Museum of Negro Leagues Baseball is to create, highlight, and maintain space that preserves and perpetuates the legacies of African American baseball players as they pursued their rightful place in the realm of sports despite social barriers.
Vision Statement
The vision of the Simmons Museum is to educate and enhance understanding of the richness of African American history through the examples set by Negro Leagues baseball players, instilling self-discipline, high moral standards, and a love of the game for generations to come.
CONTACT OFFICE VIA EMAIL FOR SPONSORSHIP PROCESS
Treasurers@SMNLBinc.org
Date & Time
Sun, Oct 19, 2025 1:45 PM - 4:30 PM
Venue Details
Marriott Hotel Owings Mill Metro Centre
10101 Grand Central AvenueOwings Mills, Maryland 21117
