Announcing the Kittinger Award

Andrew Sullivan has a number of awards that he dishes out to people who say something foolish. It’s high time I was self-important enough to announce a special award and give it out periodically. Ergo, I hereby announce the Joseph Kittinger, Jr., Award for Demonstrable Manliness, named after Joseph Kittenger, Jr., who had gall as big as church bells.

Unlike Sullivan, I won’t nominate people and then present a single award every year; when I see something inspirationally manly, I shall award it on the spot.

The first official Joseph Kittinger, Jr., award winner: Mark Bartholomew of Allentown, Pennsylvania:

Most people would try to avoid an out-of-control car — but not Mark Bartholomew.
He used his truck to block a car that was repeatedly bouncing off a highway median in the Allentown, Pennsylvania, area on Monday. The woman driving the car says she passed out after having stomach pains.

Other drivers swerved to avoid the car, but Bartholomew noticed the driver appeared to be unconscious.

He pulled ahead and allowed the car’s front bumper to hit his truck and gradually slowed it to a stop. The driver of the car calls Bartholomew “a lifesaver.”

Bartholomew says he doesn’t worry about the vehicle damage, saying, “what’s a vehicle compared to a life?” Besides, he adds, “it’s a company truck.”

A heroic act and a snappy wisecrack line. Mark Bartholomew, we here at MfBJN salute you, and quite frankly hope we never have to replicate your actions.

(Link seen on Fark, whose founder Drew Curtis probably covets the Kittinger Award and thinks founding Fark should be enough.)

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