News Archives - 2009

The best dad in the world

Last Saturday, English professor Colin Irvine threw out the first pitch at the Twins game versus Houston. It wasn't because he's an especially talented pitcher or because he's thinking of making a career change. He was selected as Father of the Year by the National Center for Fathering and was honored by the Twins prior to the game.

Irvine's son Caleb, a second grader at St. Dominic School in Northfield, submitted an essay titled "What My Father Means to Me" this past spring. Out of 23,000 essays submitted, Caleb's was chosen and his dad was eventually named Father of the Year in Minnesota. Colin and Caleb were invited to the Twins game and received a trophy and a $1,200 grand prize.

The National Center for Fathering provides practical, research-based training and resources for fathers, grandfathers, and father figures.

Read the full story by Erika Greiner for Northfield News.

Taken from an essay by Caleb Irvine

When I was a baby he stayed home with me every day. Now I go to school and he goes to work, but we do things like this year we made a great igloo. I like it when he takes me to do crazy stuff like going on rides that spin up and down and every direction. I love playing football, skiing, and playing baseball with my dad. I like it because he never gets mad at me, he always helps me out and teaches me how to do it the right way. I think my dad should win Father of the Year because I think he's the best dad in the world. When I'm older I want to be a dad like him.