The Willie, Mickey and the Duke Award is presented annually by the New York Baseball Writers Association to a group of players, or a specific team, forever linked in baseball history.
In New York, three legends once roamed the outfield for all three teams, Willie, Mickey and the Duke. Willie Mays, with the New York Giants; Mickey Mantle, with the New York Yankees; and Duke Snider, with the Brooklyn Dodgers — a legendary trio of baseball personalities who are forever linked in baseball history. Research by Baseball Almanac.
"I'm talkin' baseball! Like Reggie, Quisenberry. Talkin' baseball! Carew and Gaylord Perry, Seaver, Garvey, Schmidt and Vida Blue, If Cooperstown is calling, it's no fluke. They'll be with Willie, Mickey, and the Duke." - Terry Cashman (Lyrics to Willie, Mickey & The Duke, 1981, PKM Music)
Willie, Mickey and the Duke AwardBy The New York Baseball Writers Association |
|
Year | Willie, Mickey and the Duke Award (Brief Description) |
1995 | Willie Mays (New York Giants Outfielder) |
Mickey Mantle (New York Yankees Outfielder) | |
Duke Snider (Brooklyn Dodgers Outfielder) | |
1996 | Phil Rizzuto (New York Yankees Shortstop) |
Pee Wee Reese (Brooklyn Dodgers Shortstop) | |
Al Dark (New York Giants Shortstop) | |
1997 | Cleon Jones (New York Mets Outfielder) |
Tommie Agee (New York Mets Outfielder) | |
Ron Swoboda (New York Mets Outfielder) | |
1998 |
Warren Spahn (Braves Pitcher / Spahn & Sain) |
Johnny Sain (Braves Pitcher / Spahn & Sain) | |
1999 | Tom Seaver (New York Mets Pitcher) |
Jerry Koosman (New York Mets Pitcher) | |
2000 |
Don Larsen (Perfect Game Pitcher) |
David Wells (Perfect Game Pitcher) | |
David Cone (Perfect Game Pitcher) | |
2001 | Bobby Thomson (The Shot Heard Round the World) |
Ralph Branca (The Shot Heard Round the World) | |
2002 | Joe Torre (New York Yankees Manager) |
Don Zimmer (New York Yankees Coach) | |
Mel Stottlemyre (New York Yankees Coach) | |
2003 | Bucky Dent (Bucky "Fucking" Dent Home Run) |
Mike Torrez (Bucky "Fucking" Dent Home Run) | |
2004 | Keith Hernandez (New York Mets First Baseman) |
Don Mattingly (New York Yankees First Baseman) | |
2005 | The 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers (The Boys of Summer) |
2006 | Bill Buckner (1986 World Series / Game 6) |
Mookie Wilson (1986 World Series / Game 6) | |
2007 |
Reggie Jackson (1977 World Series / Game 6) |
Charlie Hough (1977 World Series / Game 6) | |
2008 | Bob Gibson (Summer of '68) |
Denny McLain (Summer of '68) | |
Luis Tiant (Summer of '68) | |
2009 | Ed Kranepool (Career Mets Player, Fan Favorite) |
Bernie Williams (Career Yankees Player, Fan Favorite) | |
2010 | Derek Jeter (Longtime Yankees Teammates) |
Mariano Rivera (Longtime Yankees Teammates) | |
Andy Pettitte (Longtime Yankees Teammates) | |
Jorge Posada (Longtime Yankees Teammates) | |
2011 | Joe Torre (Longtime Career Manager) |
Bobby Cox (Longtime Career Manager) | |
Lou Piniella (Longtime Career Manager) | |
2012 | The 1962 New York Mets (The Amazin' Mets) |
2013 | The 1973 New York Mets (So Close...) |
2014 | Hank Aaron (Hit Home Run #715) |
Al Downing (Surrendered Home Run #715) | |
2015 | Bob Hendley (1965 Perfect Game Losing Pitcher) |
Sandy Koufax (1965 Perfect Game Winning Pitcher) | |
Vin Scully (1965 Perfect Game Announcer) | |
2016 | Tim Hudson (Oakland Athletics - Trio of Aces) |
Mark Mulder (Oakland Athletics - Trio of Aces) | |
Barry Zito (Oakland Athletics - Trio of Aces) | |
2017 | Dellin Betances (Formidable Trio of Yankees) |
Aroldis Chapman (Formidable Trio of Yankees) | |
Andrew Miller (Formidable Trio of Yankees) | |
2018 | 1998 New York Yankees (114 Wins / 1998 Champions) |
2019 | 1969 New York Mets (The Miracle Mets) |
2020 | Al Leiter (2000 World Series / Game 5 / Losing Pitcher) |
Luis Sojo (2000 World Series / Game 5 / 9th Inning Game-Winning Hit) | |
2022 | Steve Karsay (RHP — 20th anniversary of HR in Shea after 9/11) |
Mike Piazza (HOF C — 20th anniversary of HR in Shea after 9/11) | |
2022 | A League of Their Own (AAGPBL Movie) |
2023 | 1999 New York Mets (Infield Players) |
2024 | Not Yet Announced (11-2024) |
Year | Willie, Mickey and the Duke Award (Brief Description) |
Willie, Mickey and the Duke Award | Baseball Awards |
CBS 2, New York, covered the 2011 New York Baseball Writers Association Dinner Gala and shared the story below. They have covered the event since that year!
Joe Torre, Bobby Cox and Lou Piniella stood together behind the podium, a trio of retiring managers honored for a combined 81 years leading major league clubs. "Played the game for 16 years and then had an opportunity to manager five different ballclubs, very special teams," Torre said. "But you know when you managed five teams that means you've been fired a few times." The hotel ballroom audience laughed. The three were presented the Willie, Mickey and the Duke Award from the Baseball Writers' Association of America's New York chapter on Saturday night, introduced by Yankees manager Joe Girardi to cap the annual dinner.
Source: CBS 2, New York, January 22, 2011, 'Torre, Cox, Piniella Honored by BBWAA.
The "brief description" added to each Willie, Mickey and the Duke Award winners simply does not do any set with their true measure of greatness. Share stories, learn more, and ask questions about any of the winners in our Baseball Almanac Facebook Group, on Baseball Almanac Twitter, via Baseball Almanac Messenger, or our baseball forum — Baseball Fever.
Did you notice which receipient won the Willie, Mickey and the Duke Award more than once? It's happened only one time (2002 & 2011), to date!