President Donald Trump has included three sports figures among his first recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, as former New York Yankees slugger Babe Ruth, former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach and nine-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Alan Page are set to be honored.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest honor for a civilian. A ceremony to award the medals has been scheduled for Friday.
Ruth, Staubach and Page are all Hall of Famers in their respective sports. Ruth is considered one of the greatest hitters of all time, Staubach led the Cowboys to a pair of Super Bowl titles, and Page was the NFL MVP in 1971 with the Minnesota Vikings before going on to a legal career that included more than two decades as a judge on the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Medals will also go to Miriam Adelson, a doctor and wife of casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, a Republican donor, and Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, who is retiring after more than 41 years in the U.S. Senate. Trump will also posthumously recognize the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and Elvis Presley.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.