Years after his playing career ended, LaTroy Hawkins, who now works with the Twins as an assistant to baseball operations and TV analyst, returned to school with hopes of earning a college degree. In May, he received that degree.
The 52-year-old Hawkins actually completed his schooling online at Southern New Hampshire University in December, earning his Sociology Degree. But in May, he finally got to walk across the stage.
Per Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Hawkins’ mother and grandmother always wanted him to earn a college degree. For a while, it was something he resisted, not seeing it as a need. But over time, his attitude changed.
“They always wanted to make sure I went back and did it. I didn’t have to,” Hawkins said, per Helfand. “I always told them, ‘If I ain’t have to, I’m not doing it.’ But then you get older. … I got bored. I’ve done a lot of things since I’ve retired. It’ll be 10 years this year, but this is probably the coolest thing I’ve done.”
Hawkins also made a post on Instagram, saying in part, “This degree wasn’t about a new job or a promotion. It was about finishing what I started, honoring my mother and grandmother’s dream, and showing my daughter Troi , nephews Edward and Elijah, and every kid watching that greatness doesn’t retire—it evolves.”
Hawkins was selected by the Twins in the seventh round of the 1991 MLB Draft and opted to sign with them. He made his Major League debut with the Twins in 1995 and continued to pitch in the majors through the 2015 season, pitching for 11 different teams.