Heart and Hustle Award on Baseball Almanac

Heart and Hustle Award

The Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association created the Heart & Hustle Award in 2005. The Heart and Hustle award is voted on by former Major League players and presented annually to an active player who demonstrates a passion for the game of baseball and best embodies the values, spirit, and traditions of the game.

"If you looked in the dictionary for major-league baseball player, the way it should be is David Eckstein. He does all the little things right. He's a student of the game." - San Diego Padres General Manager Kevin Towers (San Diego News Network, Mike Sullivan, 04/27/2009, 'Eckstein defines hustle, other baseball intangibles')

Heart and Hustle Award Heart & Hustle Award Official Logo by Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association
Year	Lg^(Qty)	Player^(Quantity)	Team^{(Franchise Quantity)}
2005	NL⁽¹⁾	David Eckstein⁽¹⁾	St. Louis Cardinals⁽¹⁾
2006	NL⁽²⁾	Craig Biggio⁽¹⁾	Houston Astros⁽¹⁾
2007	NL⁽³⁾	Craig Biggio⁽²⁾	Houston Astros⁽²⁾
2008	AL⁽¹⁾	Grady Sizemore⁽¹⁾	Cleveland Indians⁽¹⁾
2009	NL⁽⁴⁾	Albert Pujols⁽¹⁾	Chicago Cubs⁽¹⁾
2010	NL⁽⁵⁾	Roy Halladay⁽¹⁾	Philadelphia Phillies⁽¹⁾
2011	AL⁽²⁾	Torii Hunter⁽¹⁾	Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim⁽¹⁾
2012	--	Not Yet Announced^(11-2012)	--
Year	Lg^(Qty)	Player^(Quantity)	Team^{(Franchise Quantity)}
Heart & Hustle Award Winners

The first recipient of the Heart & Hustle Award was David Eckstein who once said in an interview (link) that his father ends every discussion with, "Love you. Give 100 percent."

Did you know that Craig Biggio was the first & only player too win back-to-back Heart and Hustle awards? If this award were given to older players, do you believe another one might have won them back to back? Tell us who on Baseball Fever.

Not only does the MLBPA give an overall winner (each one is listed above), but they also have a team finalist for every team each season — those players are awarded with a plaque at a benefit dinner each season.

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