TONY CONIGLIARO AWARD

History of the Tony Conigliaro Award | Baseball Almanac

The Tony Conigliaro Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball player who best overcomes a major, often life altering obstacle and continues to thrive through the adversity.

Tony Conigliaro played for the Boston Red Sox and he was a truly gifted player, until he was hit on the cheek with a fastball thrown by Jack Hamilton. Tony-C returned to the lineup a year and a half later, hit another twenty home runs, had thirty-six dingers the year after that, but was then forced to retire due to his eyesight being permanently damaged.

Conigliaro died in 1990, eight years after a debilitating heart attack, at the age of forty-five. The Tony Conigliaro Award has been given annually in honor of his life and each recipient, along with a brief note about their adversity. Research by Baseball Almanac.

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"Young men on the fast track to Cooperstown, all derailed before their promise was fulfilled. Players like Herb Score and Tony Conigliaro were never the same after being hit in the head; Pete Reiser ran into a few too many outfield fences; J.R. Richard suffered a stroke; Thurman Munson was killed in a plane crash... great expectations shattered by fate." - Silverman, Jeff. They Tasted Glory: Among the Missing at the Baseball Hall of Fame. Linkugel, Wil A. Author. McFarland Publishing. 1 July 1998. Forward.

Tony Conigliaro Award

Tony Conigliaro Injury | 1971 Topps-Style Baseball Card | Baseball Almanac Collection

In Chronological Order | Baseball Awards | Tony Conigliaro

1990 Jim Eisenreich (1) Philadelphia Phillies (1) OF Tourette Syndrome
1991 Dickie Thon (1) Philadelphia Phillies (2) OF Hit by Pitch
1992 Jim Abbott (1) Chicago White Sox (1) LHP Born Without Hand
1993 Bo Jackson (1) Chicago White Sox (2) OF Hip Replacement Surgery
1994 Mark Leiter (1) California Angels (1) RHP Death of Son
1995 Scott Radinsky (1) Chicago White Sox (3) LHP Hodgkin's Lymphoma
1996 Curtis Pride (1) Montreal Expos (1) OF Born Deaf
1997 Eric Davis (1) Baltimore Orioles (1) OF Colon Cancer
1998 Bret Saberhagen (1) Kansas City Royals (1) RHP Shoulder Injuries
1999 Mike Lowell (1) Florida Marlins (1) 3B Testicular Cancer
2000 Kent Mercker (1) Anaheim Angels (2) LHP Cerebral Hemorrhage
Tony Saunders (1) Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1) LHP Broken Arm While Pitching
2001 Jason Johnson (1) Baltimore Orioles (2) RHP Type 1 Diabetes
Graeme Lloyd (1) Montreal Expos (2) LHP Shoulder Injuries
2002 Jose Rijo (1) Cincinnati Reds (1) RHP Severe Elbow Injuries
2003 Jim Mecir (1) Oakland Athletics (1) RHP Born With Two Club Feet
2004 Dewon Brazelton (1) Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2) RHP Tommy John & Knee Surgery
2005 Aaron Cook (1) Colorado Rockies (1) RHP Blood Clots in Lungs
2006 Freddy Sanchez (1) Pittsburgh Pirates (1) 3B Born With Club Foot
2007 Jon Lester (1) Boston Red Sox (1) LHP Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
2008 Rocco Baldelli (1) Tampa Bay Devil Rays (3) OF Mitochondrial Disorder
2009 Chris Carpenter (1) St. Louis Cardinals (1) RHP Tommy John Surgery
2010 Joaquin Benoit (1) Tampa Bay Devil Rays (4) RHP Rotator Cuff Tear
2011 Tony Campana (1) Chicago Cubs (1) OF Hodgkin's Lymphoma
2012 R.A. Dickey (1) New York Mets (1) RHP Sexual Abuse (As Child)
2013 John Lackey (1) Boston Red Sox (2) RHP Tommy John Surgery
2014 Wilson Ramos (1) Washington Nationals (1) C Kidnapped / Suffered Injuries
2015 Mitch Harris (1) St. Louis Cardinals (1) RHP Delayed Career (US Navy)
2016 Yangervis Solarte (1) San Diego Padres (1) 3B Wife Died of Cancer
2017 Chad Bettis (1) Colorado Rockies (1) RHP Testicular Cancer
2018 Stephen Piscotty (1) Oakland Athletics (2) OF Mom who died from ALS
2019 Rich Hill (1) Los Angeles Dodgers (1) LHP Several Injuries / Loss of Child
2020 Daniel Bard (1) Colorado Rockies (2) RHP 7-Year Gap (Control Issues)
2021 Trey Mancini (1) Baltimore Orioles (3) 1B/LF Colon Cancer
2022 Jose Cuas (1) Kansas City Royals (2) RHP Arduous journey to majors
2023 Liam Hendriks (1) Chicago White Sox (4) RHP Stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
2024 Not Yet Awarded (x) -- -- --
Tony Conigliaro Award | Research by Baseball Almanac | Baseball Awards
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Did you know that Tony Conigliaro holds the Major League record for most home runs hit by a teenage player with twenty-four long balls?

Liam Hendriks said in a press release (29 November 2023): "As baseball players we all dream about winning World Series rings, but if this year has taught me anything it’s that the biggest impact I can make is by being a source of inspiration to others who are dealing with their own difficult circumstances. I’ve spent a good deal of time sitting in the bullpen at Fenway Park, and to be awarded this honor and have my name associated with Tony Conigliaro's is something I will forever cherish. I’d like to thank the committee, the media members, Major League Baseball, the Red Sox organization, and the Conigliaro family for believing that I deserve this incredible recognition."

In 1965, Tony Conigliaro led the American League in home runs with thirty-two while Willie Mays led the National League with fifty-two.

Mike Lowell, who won the Tony Conigliaro Award in 1999, had testicular cancer and surgery was performed on February 21, 1999. He returned to the lineup on May 29, 1999, and hit .253 as a rookie with 12 home runs and 47 runs batted in!