Hutch Award
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Hutch Award is a Major League Baseball award given to an active player who best exemplifies the fighting spirit and competitive desire to win. The award was created in 1965 in honor of the late Fred Hutchinson, the courageous and inspirational former major league baseball player and manager, who died of cancer at the age of 45.
A fiery competitor who earned respect with his no-nonsense command, "Hutch" won 95 games as a pitcher for the Detroit Tigers and later managed three big-league clubs. His greatest achievement was piloting the Cincinnati Reds to the World Series in 1961.
In December 1963, Hutch detected small lumps in his throat and upper chest. He sought help from his brother, Dr. Bill Hutchinson, a cancer surgeon. Hutch was told he had no more than a year to live.
Hutch returned to Cincinnati determined to manage the Reds. He received treatment on a regular basis but decided to conceal the true nature of his illness. He told his team and the media that he had been given a clean bill of health.
By mid-season however, Hutch's illness had overcome him. He was forced to stop traveling, and the team finished under the direction of Coach Dick Sisler. After the season ended, Hutch returned to Florida where he died November 12, 1964.
One year after his death, the Hutch Award was created by Hutch's longtime friends Bob Prince, broadcaster of the Pittsburgh Pirates; Jim Enright, Chicago sportswriter; and Ritter Collett, sports editor of the Dayton Journal Herald. They also created a scholarship fund for medical students engaged in cancer research to honor Hutch's memory.
The award is now presented each January in Seattle, Hutch's hometown and the site of the renowned cancer center that bears his name. The award is hosted by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and is bestowed at the annual Seattle Post-Intelligencer Sports Star of the Year Banquet. Recipients traveling to Seattle to accept the award have visited and lifted the spirits of patients at the Hutchinson Center.
The permanent display of the Hutch Award trophy remains in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, where it has been since 1979, with the list of winners updated yearly. A replica is on display in Seattle.
[edit] Award Recipients
- 1965 Mickey Mantle, New York Yankees
- 1966 Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers
- 1967 Carl Yastrzemski, Boston Red Sox
- 1968 Pete Rose, Cincinnati Reds
- 1969 Al Kaline, Detroit Tigers
- 1970 Tony Conigliaro, Boston Red Sox
- 1971 Joe Torre, St. Louis Cardinals
- 1972 Bobby Tolan, Cincinnati Reds
- 1973 John Hiller, Detroit Tigers
- 1974 Danny Thompson, Minnesota Twins
- 1975 Gary Nolan, Cincinnati Reds
- 1976 Tommy John, Los Angeles Dodgers
- 1977 Willie McCovey, San Francisco Giants
- 1978 Willie Stargell, Pittsburgh Pirates
- 1979 Lou Brock, St. Louis Cardinals
- 1980 George Brett, Kansas City Royals
- 1981 Johnny Bench, Cincinnati Reds
- 1982 Andre Thornton, Cleveland Indians
- 1983 Ray Knight, Houston Astros
- 1984 Don Robinson, Pittsburgh Pirates
- 1985 Rick Reuschel, Chicago Cubs
- 1986 Dennis Leonard, Kansas City Royals
- 1987 Paul Molitor, Milwaukee Brewers
- 1988 Ron Oester, Cincinnati Reds
- 1989 Dave Dravecky, San Francisco Giants
- 1990 Sid Bream, Pittsburgh Pirates
- 1991 Bill Wegman, Milwaukee Brewers
- 1992 Carney Lansford, Oakland Athletics
- 1993 John Olerud, Toronto Blue Jays
- 1994 Andre Dawson, Boston Red Sox
- 1995 Jim Abbott, Anaheim Angels
- 1996 Omar Vizquel, Cleveland Indians
- 1997 Eric Davis, Baltimore Orioles
- 1998 David Cone, New York Yankees
- 1999 Sean Casey, Cincinnati Reds
- 2000 Jason Giambi, Oakland Athletics
- 2001 Curt Schilling, Arizona Diamondbacks
- 2002 Tim Salmon, Anaheim Angels
- 2003 Jamie Moyer, Seattle Mariners
- 2004 Trevor Hoffman, San Diego Padres
- 2005 Craig Biggio, Houston Astros
