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Joe Bauman Award
The Joe Bauman Award, or Joe Bauman Home Run Award as its also called, is awarded to the top home run hitter in Minor League Baseball annually. The slugger with the most home runs receives the Joe Bauman Trophy and a check in the amount of $200 per home run hit at the Winter Meetings Award Luncheon.
Joe Bauman, who never played a game in Major League Baseball, hit 72
home runs in a minor league season in 1954 — a professional baseball record
that stood until it was broken by Barry Bonds with 73 in 2001. The Joe Bauman Award was created in his honor in 2002 and each receipient appears below in chronological order.
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"Looking back, (Joe) Bauman says he made several mistakes, especially spending three years of his prime in semipro ball, which might have kept him from ever stepping to the plate in the big leagues . . . He regrets not pushing himself to see if he could play in the majors. 'I still have that question in my mind: Could I have done it or not?'" - Sportswriter Leo Banks in Sports Illustrated (August 1991)
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| Year |
Player Name
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Team(s)
|
HRs |
Check |
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2002
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Ivan Cruz
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Memphis Redbirds
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35
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$7,000.00
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2003
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Graham Koonce
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Sacramento River Cats
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34
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$6,800.00
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2004
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Ryan Howard
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Reading Phillies & Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barrons
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46
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$9,200.00
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2005
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Brandon Wood
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Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
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42
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$8,600.00
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2006
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Kevin Witt
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Durham Bulls
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36
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$7,200.00
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2007
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Craig Brazell
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Wichita Wranglers & Omaha Royals
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39
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$7,800.00
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2008
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Dallas McPherson
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Albuquerque Isotopes
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42
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$8,400.00
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2009
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Mitch Jones
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Albuquerque Isotopes
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35
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$7,000.00
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| 2010 |
Mike Moustakas |
Northwest Arkansas Naturals & Omaha Royals |
36 |
$7,200.00 |
| 2011 |
Bryan LaHair |
Iowa Cubs |
38 |
$7,600.00 |
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2012
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To Be Determined
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| Year |
Player Name
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Team(s)
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HRs |
Check |
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Joe Bauman Award
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