Golden Spikes Award

Golden Spikes Award
The words "GOLDEN SPIKES AWARD" in gold on a brown polygonal background, with a pair of golden baseball spikes dangling from the last "S" in "Spikes". Above the lettering reads "USA" in white colour.
Logo for the Golden Spikes Award
Awarded forAmateur baseball's best regular season player
CountryUnited States
Presented byUSA Baseball
History
First award1978
Most recentCharlie Condon (baseball), UGA
WebsiteGolden Spikes Award

The Golden Spikes Award is bestowed annually to the best amateur baseball player in the United States.[1] The award, created by USA Baseball and sponsored by the Major League Baseball Players Association, was first presented in 1978. It is given to an amateur player who best exhibits and combines "exceptional on-field ability and exemplary sportsmanship".[2][3] The award is considered the most prestigious in amateur baseball.[4][5]

Ten winners of the Golden Spikes Award are members of the National College Baseball Hall of Fame,[6] including Bob Horner, the inaugural winner in 1978.[7] In that same year, he was the first overall MLB draft pick and proceeded to win the Rookie of the Year Award.[8][9][10] Seven Golden Spikes Award winners went on to become the first overall MLB draft pick.[8] Only Horner achieved the MLB Rookie of the Year Award in the same year (although Jason Jennings and Buster Posey were voted the top rookies of the National League several years after winning the Golden Spikes Award).[9] Jim Abbott, Jered Weaver and Tim Lincecum are the only award winners to pitch an MLB no-hitter,[11] while Horner is the only one to hit four home runs in one MLB game.[12] Furthermore, 17 players won the Dick Howser Trophy (considered to be the Heisman Trophy of college baseball)[13][14] alongside the Golden Spikes Award.[15] No player has won the award more than once, and no Golden Spikes recipient has yet been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

The winner has been announced annually during a live broadcast of ESPN's SportsCenter since 2014.[16] Immediately following the announcement, the award winner and the other finalists are honored at a banquet in Los Angeles.[16] The most recent recipient of the award is Charlie Condon of the Georgia Bulldogs. Although it can be given to any amateur player, the award has always been given to a college baseball player.

  1. ^ Drellich, Evan (June 6, 2011). "Golden Spikes Award field narrows to three". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on May 27, 2012. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  2. ^ "The official site of the Golden Spikes Award – About the Golden Spikes Award". Golden Spikes Award. USA Baseball. Archived from the original on September 21, 2010. Retrieved August 12, 2012.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference zunino was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Berry, Adam (June 5, 2012). "Appel, Zunino among Golden Spikes finalists". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on March 10, 2017. Retrieved August 12, 2012.
  5. ^ Huffman, Dane (June 5, 2012). "NC State pitcher a finalist for Golden Spikes Award". NBC17.com. NBC. Archived from the original on January 29, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2012.
  6. ^ "College Baseball Hall of Fame – Hall of Famers". CollegeBaseballHall.com. College Baseball Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on October 12, 2018. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Dreifort was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b "1st Picks Overall in the MLB June Amateur Draft". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on October 11, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2012.
  9. ^ a b "Rookie of the Year Awards & Rolaids Relief Award Winners". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on May 30, 2018. Retrieved August 12, 2012.
  10. ^ Sugiura, Ken (May 6, 2010). "Nine questions: Bob Horner". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ajc.com. Retrieved August 12, 2012.
  11. ^ "MLB No-Hitters". ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures. Archived from the original on April 24, 2010. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  12. ^ "National League; Horner Ties Mark with 4 Home Runs". New York Times. July 7, 1986. p. C4. Archived from the original on March 14, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  13. ^ "Houston pitcher Lincoln wins Howser Trophy". ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures. Associated Press. June 17, 2006. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  14. ^ Martin, Jeffrey (July 2, 2010). "Rice's Rendon claims prestigious Dick Howser Trophy". The Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  15. ^ "Dick Howser Trophy". Baseball-Almanac.com. Baseball Almanac. Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  16. ^ a b "USA Baseball Names 2017 Golden Spikes Award Finalists" (Press release). USA Baseball. June 14, 2017. Archived from the original on June 23, 2017. Retrieved July 2, 2017.

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