Kansas City Royals pitcher Zack Greinke and St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols head an impressive list of 2009 Major League Baseball honorees who will receive Legacy Awards from the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM). Greinke is the recipient of the Wilbur "Bullet" Rogan Award as the museum's choice for American League (AL) "Pitcher of theYear." He shares the honor with Chris Carpenter of the St. Louis Cardinals. Pujols will receive the Oscar Charleston Legacy Award after being named the NL Most Valuable Player (MVP). Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer is the AL Charleston Award winner.
The NLBM will honor Greinke, Pujols and the rest of a stellar class of award winners at the 10th Annual Legacy Awards, scheduled for 8 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010 in the Grand Ballroom of the Kansas City Convention Center. Proceeds from the Legacy Awards benefit the NLBM. The event launches the museum's year-long 20th Anniversary celebration.
The Legacy Awards, established by the NLBM in 2000, annually recognizes the best Major League baseball players, managers, and executives, with awards given in the name, and spirit, of Negro Leagues legends such as Charleston, Rogan, Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, and the late Buck ONeil. The awards event recognizes both on- and off-the-field achievement with baseball awards presented to both AL and NL honorees.
Greinke baffled AL hitters and established himself as the ace of the Royals pitching staff and one of the best young pitchers in the game on his way to winning his first Rogan award. The 26-year-old right-hander posted a 16-8 record with a Major League-leading 2.16 earned run average and led the league Greinke finished 2nd in the AL in strikeouts (242); 2nd in complete games (6); and 2nd in shutouts (3).
Nicknamed "Bullet" for his blazing fastball, Rogan won more Negro Leagues games than any other pitcher. He was the ace of the Kansas City Monarchs rotation for nearly 20 years and led them to the inaugural Negro World Series title against the Hilldale Daisies in 1924. A great athlete, Rogan batted clean-up when he wasn't pitching and is credited with a lifetime batting average of .338. Rogan was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998.
Pujols earned his fourth Charleston award (2003, 2005 & 2008). He is also the recipient of the NL Josh Gibson award after leading the Majors with 47 home runs raising his total to seven Legacy Awards since his explosive 2001 debut season. The mega-talented firstbaseman continues to make a strong case as the game's best player. This season didn't hurt that argument as Pujols lead the Cardinals to a division championship. The numbers were staggering. He finished 2nd in the NL with a .327 batting average; 3rd in RBI (135); 1st in slugging percentage (.658); 1st in on-base percentage (.443) and 3rd in walks (115) all while playing a rock-steady first base.
The NLBM named its MVP honors for Charleston, who is widely regarded by his contemporaries as the greatest baseball player ever. The late Buck O'Neil said that Charleston was "Willie Mays before there was ever a Willie Mays." Charleston was heralded as a complete ball player who could beat you in every facet of the game. His aggressive play drew comparisons to Ty Cobb; his batting prowess was compared to Babe Ruth, and his defensive abilities likened to Tris Speaker. Charleston was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976.
"The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is proud to recognize the tremendous achievements of Zack Greinke, Albert Pujols and the other honorees chosen to receive Legacy Awards," said museum Bob Kendrick, vice president of marketing for the NLBM. "The Legacy Awards is the only baseball event of its kind that unites baseball's past and present. We believe that by honoring Major League Baseball's very best in the name of these legendary Negro Leaguers, that fans world-wide will gain a greater appreciation for just how talented the likes of Charleston and the other greats of the Negro Leagues were."
The Twin's Mauer joins Pujols as the only two multiple award winners this year. Mauer also won the AL Buck Leonard Legacy Award after winning the batting crown with a league-leading .365 batting average. Other notable winners: Hall of Fame player and ESPN baseball analyst Joe Morgan will receive the Jackie Robinson Lifetime Achievement Award and Major League Baseball and Commissioner Bud Selig will be honored with the Buck O'Neil Award given for support of the NLBM.
======================================
Oscar Charleston Award-presented to the AL and NL "Most Valuable Players"
2009 Recipients: Joe Mauer, Minnesota and Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
Wilbur "Bullet" Rogan Award-presented to the AL and NL "Pitchers of the Year"
2009 Recipients: Zack Greinke, Kansas City Royals and Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals
Josh Gibson Award-presented to the AL and NL "Home Run" leaders
2009 Recipients: Carlos Pena, Tampa Bay Rays and Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees (tie) and Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
James "Cool Papa" Bell Award-presented to the AL and NL "Stolen Base" leaders
2009 Recipients: Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox and Michael Bourn, Houston Astros
Walter "Buck" Leonard Award-presented to the AL and NL "Batting Champions"
2009 Recipients: Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins and Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins
Andrew "Rube" Foster Award-presented to the AL and NL "Executives of the Year"
2009 Recipients: Jack Zduriencik, Seattle Mariners and Dan O'Dowd, Colorado Rockies
Charles Isham "C. I." Taylor Award-presented to the AL and NL "Managers of the Year"
2009 Recipients: Mike Scioscia, Los Angeles Angels and Jim Tracy, Colorado Rockies
Larry Doby Award-presented to the AL and NL "Rookies of the Year"
2009 Recipients: Elvis Andrus, Texas Rangers and Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates
Hilton Smith Award-presented to the AL and NL "Relievers of the Year"
2009 Recipients: Brian Fuentes, Los Angeles Angels and Heath Bell, San Diego Padres
John Henry "Pop" Lloyd Award-presented in recognition of "Baseball and Community Leadership"
2009 Recipients: Mike Cameron, Milwaukee Brewers
Sam Lacy Award-presented to the "Baseball Writer of the Year"
2009 Recipient: Claire Smith, ESPN
Jackie Robinson Lifetime Achievement Award-presented for "Career Excellence in the Face of Adversity"
2009 Recipient: Joe Morgan, Baseball Analyst, ESPN
John "Buck" O'Neil Award-presented to a local or national corporate/private philanthropist for "Outstanding Support of the NLBM"
2009 Recipient: Bud Selig, Commissioner, Major League Baseball
