Sean T. McMann

Poughkeepsie Journal

WICCOPEE – It was a small fraction of the 40,000-plus fans he and his San Francisco Giants play before every night at AT&T Park.

But Wednesday's gathering meant the most to Joe Panik.

Dozens of Panik's family members and childhood friends convened at John Jay High School to honor Panik, the 2008 John Jay graduate who helped the Giants win the World Series in October.

"John Jay gave me the opportunity to play varsity baseball and play against some of the best players in the section," Panik told the Poughkeepsie Journal. "You look at (Roy C.) Ketcham and Arlington (high schools), there were guys going to play Division I (college ball). Playing in Dutchess County, with so many talented kids, you played at a higher level."

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Dressed in a John Jay-blue suit, Panik watched as officials retired his No. 13 jersey, which they'd matted and framed for him, and he listened as Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, Town of East Fishkill Recreation Director Bill Green and others feted him. Molinaro declared Dec. 11 as Joe Panik Day in Dutchess County.

Susan Kenny taught Panik honors algebra when the future world champ was an eighth-grader at Van Wyck Junior High School.

Watching her former student being honored from the bleachers brought back a rush of memories, she said.

"He was wonderful. He was so conscientious," Kenny said. "He used to leave school (at Van Wyck) early to play varsity here, and he always had his homework done, always had his work. He was always an all-around polite kid."

Panik started the 2014 season in the minor leagues, compiling a .321 batting average with 14 doubles with the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies, the Giants' top farm team. San Francisco promoted the former Poughkeepsie Journal Player of the Year to the big leagues on June 21.

Through his first six weeks in the majors, Panik was hitting .203 but soon heated up. In 73 games with the Giant, the rookie finished with a .305 average and his first career home run, which he hit on Aug. 22 in Washington, D.C.

In the postseason, came up big at the plate — he contributed two doubles, two triples and homer while driving in eight runs and scoring seven — and he turned an acrobatic double play during a 2-2 tie in Game 7 of the Fall Classic that turned the tide in the Giants' favor.

During the season, Panik had told the Journal he was focusing on the present — everything from the regular season, the playoffs and World Series — and would wait until the year's final out to reflect on his rookie campaign.

Six weeks removed from the Fall Classic, he said Thanksgiving was particularly special. The next few weeks, Panik said, will be spent preparing for 2015, which will begin in preseason camp in Scottsdale, Arizona.

"Once the season ended, I was able to reflect on what went on. That's when you can enjoy it," Panik said. "Now, we're more than a month into the offseason, and you're pretty much getting ready for spring training and the next season. But you really get a chance to appreciate what happened."

Wednesday's private, invitation-only celebration, which gave Panik a chance to reflect on his season with "my close friends and family" was befitting the humble big-leaguer, his former mentor said.

"He's just the epitome of professionalism. He's conducted himself, since he was a young man, with maturity beyond his years," said Tom O'Hare, who coached Panik on John Jay's varsity baseball team and helped organize the event. "Even more so than his physical accomplishments in baseball, he brings a sense of pride in being a young man who carries himself with class and dignity."

Peter Cassidy, member of the town board in East Fishkill, said Panik is a tribute to his family, the town and the entire Hudson Valley.

"I think it's great to see a local kid make it all the way to the top. It's fantastic, and it will help the area and the sports programs in the area," said Cassidy, who joked he likes Panik even though he doesn't play for his own beloved Boston Red Sox. "Everybody has their faults."

While logistics closed the event to the general public, Panik said he appreciated the phone calls, text messages and general well wishes from the community as he and the Giants made their historic run.

"Thank you so much for the support," he said. "It doesn't go unappreciated."

Sean T. McMann: smcmann@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @journalsean