Tip O'Neill Award

Tip O'Neill Award

A man in a striped cap, white baseball uniform with the words "ST. LOUIS" obscured on the front and black belt pretends to swing an imaginary bat.

Tip O'Neill, the namesake of the award
Location St. Marys, Ontario
Country Canada
Presented by Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
First awarded 1984
Currently held by Justin Morneau, Colorado Rockies
Official website Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame

The Tip O'Neill Award is given annually to a Canadian baseball player who is "judged to have excelled in individual achievement and team contribution while adhering to the highest ideals of the game of baseball."[1] The award was created by the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and first presented in 1984.[1][2] It is named after James "Tip" O'Neill, one of the earliest Canadian stars in Major League Baseball (MLB).[1][3]

Larry Walker, Jason Bay, Joey Votto, Justin Morneau and are the only players to win the Tip O'Neill Award three times.[4] Walker has won the award nine times.[5] Three winners—Walker, Terry Puhl, and Rob Ducey—are members of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.[6] The award has been presented to one amateur player, Daniel Brabant.[7] Walker, Votto, and Justin Morneau won the MLB Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award alongside the Tip O'Neill Award;[8] the trio are the only Canadians to win the MLB MVP Award.[9] Éric Gagné, the 2002 and 2003 recipient, compiled a major league record of 84 consecutive save opportunities converted from 2002 to 2004 and won the Cy Young Award in 2003.[10][11] He and John Axford went on to win the Rolaids Relief Man Award in the same year as the Tip O'Neill Award.[12] Bay became the first Canadian to win the Rookie of the Year Award, which he won the same year he won his first Tip O'Neill Award.[13] Votto is the only award winner to also win the Hank Aaron Award.[14]

Initially, the award was presented annually at either Rogers Centre in Toronto or Olympic Stadium in Montreal, depending on which venue the award winner's team was scheduled to play at during the MLB season. However, as the Montreal Expos moved to Washington, D.C., and the Toronto Blue Jays do not host all the National League teams on an annual basis, the award has also been presented at the home park of the winning player.[15] Morneau of the Colorado Rockies is the most recent recipient of the award.[4]

Winners

A man wearing a red baseball cap with a white "C" in the centre, a red baseball uniform with the words "REDS" written across but obscured by his left arm and a black baseball glove on his left hand with the words "RAWLINGS" sewn on it prepares to throw a baseball.
Joey Votto is the only player to win the award four consecutive times.[16][17]
Key
Year Links to the article about that corresponding year in baseball
Player (X) Denotes winning player and number of times they had won the award at that point (if more than one)
^ Indicates multiple award winners in the same year
dagger Member of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
footnote Player is active[lower-alpha 1]
Winners
Year Recipient Position Team(s) Ref(s)
1984 Puhl, TerryTerry Puhldagger OutfielderHouston Astros[18]
1985 Shipanoff, DaveDave Shipanoff PitcherPhiladelphia Phillies[19]
1986 Ducey, RobRob Duceydagger OutfielderVentura County Gulls
Knoxville Smokies		[20][21]
1987 Walker, LarryLarry Walkerdagger OutfielderJacksonville Expos[22]
1988 Reimer, KevinKevin Reimer OutfielderTexas Rangers[23]
1989 Wilson, SteveSteve Wilson PitcherChicago Cubs[24]
1990 Walker, LarryLarry Walkerdagger (2) OutfielderMontreal Expos[25]
1991 Brabant, DanielDaniel Brabant PitcherCanada national baseball team[7]
1992 Walker, LarryLarry Walkerdagger (3) OutfielderMontreal Expos[25]
1993 Butler, RobRob Butler OutfielderToronto Blue Jays[26]
1994 Walker, LarryLarry Walkerdagger (4) OutfielderColorado Rockies[25]
1995 Walker, LarryLarry Walkerdagger (5) OutfielderColorado Rockies[25]
1996 Dickson, JasonJason Dickson PitcherCalifornia Angels[27]
1997 Walker, LarryLarry Walkerdagger (6) OutfielderColorado Rockies[25]
1998 Walker, LarryLarry Walkerdagger (7) OutfielderColorado Rockies[25]
1999 Zimmerman, JeffJeff Zimmerman PitcherTexas Rangers[28]
2000 Dempster, RyanRyan Dempster PitcherFlorida Marlins[28]
2001^ Koskie, CoreyCorey Koskie Third basemanMinnesota Twins[29][30]
2001^ Walker, LarryLarry Walkerdagger (8) OutfielderColorado Rockies[29][30]
2002^ Gagné, ÉricÉric Gagné PitcherLos Angeles Dodgers[31]
2002^ Walker, LarryLarry Walkerdagger (9) OutfielderColorado Rockies[31]
2003 Gagné, ÉricÉric Gagné (2) PitcherLos Angeles Dodgers[32]
2004 Bay, JasonJason Baydouble-dagger OutfielderPittsburgh Pirates[13]
2005 Bay, JasonJason Baydouble-dagger (2) OutfielderPittsburgh Pirates[13]
2006 Morneau, JustinJustin Morneaudouble-dagger First basemanMinnesota Twins[5][33]
2007 Martin, RussellRussell Martindouble-dagger CatcherLos Angeles Dodgers[34]
2008 Morneau, JustinJustin Morneaudouble-dagger (2) First basemanMinnesota Twins[35]
2009 Bay, JasonJason Baydouble-dagger (3) OutfielderBoston Red Sox[36]
2010 Votto, JoeyJoey Vottodouble-dagger First basemanCincinnati Reds[37]
2011^ Axford, JohnJohn Axforddouble-dagger PitcherMilwaukee Brewers[38]
2011^ Votto, JoeyJoey Vottodouble-dagger (2) First basemanCincinnati Reds[38]
2012 Votto, JoeyJoey Vottodouble-dagger (3) First basemanCincinnati Reds[16]
2013 Votto, JoeyJoey Vottodouble-dagger (4) First basemanCincinnati Reds[17]
2014 Morneau, JustinJustin Morneaudouble-dagger (3) First basemanColorado Rockies[4]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The Baseball Almanac general reference below links to the profiles of each player, where their active status can be verified.

References

General

Specific

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Awards – James “Tip” O’Neill Award". BaseballHallofFame.ca. Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  2. ↑ Fleitz, David L. (2011). Silver Bats and Automobiles: The Hotly Competitive, Sometimes Ignoble Pursuit of the Major League Batting Championship. McFarland. p. 49. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  3. ↑ Jensen, Chris (July 26, 2012). Baseball State by State: Major and Negro League Players, Ballparks, Museums and Historical Sites. McFarland. p. 331. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Justin Morneau captures his third Tip O’Neill Award". Toronto Star. The Canadian Press. December 3, 2014. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Canadian Hall of Fame gives Tip O'Neill Award to AL MVP Morneau". Canada.com. Postmedia News. December 16, 2006. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Inductees – By Name". BaseballHallofFame.ca. Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Griffin, Richard (November 27, 2002). "Dodgers' Gagne is likely O'Neill winner". The Toronto Star. p. E06. Retrieved April 25, 2013. Only one amateur has won the O'Neill award (presented since 1984): right-handed pitcher Daniel Brabant in '91, leading Canada to a gold medal in the world junior championship. (subscription required)
  8. ↑ "Most Valuable Player MVP Awards & Cy Young Awards Winners". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  9. ↑ Harrison, Doug (November 23, 2010). "Q&A: Larry Walker on Votto winning NL MVP". CBC Sports. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  10. ↑ Gurnick, Ken (July 5, 2004). "Streak Over: Gagne's run ends". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Baseball: Roundup; Gagne's Streak Ends, But Dodgers Win". The New York Times. July 6, 2004. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Rookie of the Year Awards & Rolaids Relief Award Winners". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Eagle, Ed (December 2, 2005). "Bay honored as top Canadian player". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Hank Aaron Award & Branch Rickey Award Winners". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Joey Votto to accept Tip O'Neill Award Friday in Cincinnati". Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum (Press release). International Baseball Federation. April 18, 2013. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Votto named Canada's top baseball player for 3rd year in a row". CBC Sports. Canadian Press. December 5, 2012. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Sheldon, Mark (December 13, 2013). "Votto Canada's best player for fourth straight year". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Terry Puhl Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Dave Shipanoff Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  20. ↑ "Rob Ducey player of year". The Toronto Star. March 10, 1987. p. B3. Retrieved April 25, 2013. (subscription required)
  21. ↑ "Rob Ducey Minor League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  22. ↑ "Larry Walker Minor League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  23. ↑ "Kevin Reimer Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  24. ↑ "Steve Wilson Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 25.4 25.5 "Larry Walker Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  26. ↑ "Rob Butler Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  27. ↑ "Jason Dickson Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 "Names In The Game". Associated Press Archive. April 24, 2001. Retrieved April 24, 2013. (subscription required)
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 "Walker, Koskie top Canadians; Hall of Fame names our top ball players". The Hamilton Spectator. Canadian Press. December 11, 2001. p. E08. Retrieved April 25, 2013. (subscription required)
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 Moore, Bryan A. (December 11, 2001). "Rockies' Walker honored". The Denver Post. p. D-09. Retrieved April 25, 2013. (subscription required)
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Gurnick, Ken (November 25, 2002). "Gagne, Walker win O'Neill award". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  32. ↑ "Gagne wins Tip O'Neill Award as top Canadian player for 2003". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. December 18, 2003. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  33. ↑ "Justin Morneau Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  34. ↑ Gurnick, Ken (December 14, 2007). "Martin wins Tip O'Neill Award". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  35. ↑ Thesier, Kelly (December 12, 2008). "Morneau named top Canadian player". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  36. ↑ "Jason Bay wins Tip O'Neill Award". The Globe and Mail. March 10, 1987. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  37. ↑ "Votto Wins Tip O'Neill Award As Top Canadian In Baseball". TSN.ca (The Sports Network). Canadian Press. December 10, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 Star, Jon (December 14, 2011). "Axford, Votto share 2011 Tip O'Neill Award". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved April 25, 2013.