[AZTarHeel]

1908 Award Winners

Top Hurler Awards
Cottonwood right-hander Jack Coombs was untouchable much of the year for the eventual AZL champs. His work paid off in the form of a 31-10 record and an ERA of 1.50. In 372 Innings he was able to strike out 110 batters. Jack pitched 8 shutouts and 38 complete games. He was 1st in the Northern in ERA and 1st in wins...

The Southern Top Hurler Award winner was Yuma right-hander Addie Joss, whose team lost to Cottonwood in the Cactus Champions Cup. Despite a lackluster performance in the post-season, Joss earned the Top Hurler honor. His ERA of 2.04 helped him to a 28-9 record this year. He struck out 125 and walked 52 in 339 innings. Addie pitched 5 shutouts and 34 complete games. He was 4th in the Southern in ERA and 1st in wins. Joss wins the award for the 3rd time in his 6-year career.

Big Stick Awards
The Big Stick Award in the Northern was handed to Flagstaff's leftfielder Sam Crawford (gee, what a surprise) This year Crawford drove in 84 and scored 97 runs while batting .328 with 11 bombs. He was 2nd in the Northern in batting, 6th in homeruns and 2nd in RBI. Crawford wins the award for an amazing 7th time in his 8-year career.

Nogales' leftfielder Sherry Magee had a fabulous season as well, no doubt about it. The Southern shared this opinion and named the 24 year old the Big Stick Award winner. His season featured a batting average of .282 (166 hits in 588 AB), 33 doubles, 14 triples and 10 bombs. Magee collected 98 RBI and 82 runs as well. He was 4th in the Southern in batting and 1st in RBI!

Rookie of the Year
Biff Schlitzer, a pitcher for Prescott, put up pretty good numbers for a rookie this year. This 23 year old kid will probably have a long and successful career! Biff has a record of 17-18 this season, with an ERA of 2.75. In 295 Innings he was able to strike out 88 batters. He had 6 complete games and 3 shutouts.

Getting an award is a nice way to start a career. Phoenix's Rube Manning smiled as he was named the Southern Rookie of the Year winner. This season Manning compiled an ERA of 3.16, going 16-19 in 36 starts. He fanned 105 while giving up 324 hits in 324.2 innings. He had 33 complete games and one shutout.

Field General Awards
Northern League
Pitcher: Jean Dubuc (SED)
Catcher: Tom Needham (JER)
First Base: John Anderson (SED)
Second Base: Johnny Evers (GCA)
Third Base: Mike Mccormick (KAY)
Shortstop: Otto Krueger (FLG)
Leftfield: Matty Mcintyre (JER)
Centerfield: Doc Gessler (PRE)
Rightfield: Johnny Bates (CTW)

Southern League
Pitcher: Doc White (CAR)
Catcher: Lew Drill (CAR)
First Base: Dan Mcgann (NOG)
Second Base: Harry Arndt (BIS)
Third Base: Harry Lord (YUM)
Shortstop: Freddy Parent (YUM)
Leftfield: Charlie Jones (TUC)
Centerfield: Roy Thomas (CAR)
Rightfield: Fred Ketchum (TUC)


News and Notes from 1908
Grand Canyon pitcher Frank Smith, who pitched a no-hitter and won a Top Hurler award in 1904, missed much of this season due to injury ... Cottonwood 1B Harry Davis hit a "descending" cycle, cranking a home run, triple, double and single -- in that order -- in an early-season contest against Kayenta ...

40-year-old "Big Ed" Delahanty likely saw his career come to an end. The five-time All-Star and two-time winner of the Big Stick Award was released by Phoenix in late July. He has 1,105 career hits and a .305 career batting average ...

Tombstone had the top hitting and pitching prospect in the AZL at season's end. Pitcher Del Mason, though, has yet to move up from Triple A to the Big Club in four seasons. The 24-year-old went 6-4 in Triple A in 1908. Wonder how they got those rankings for prospects? Potential only? So far, he seems to below expectations at this point ... The top field player is 3B George Perring, who is still in Double A (hitting .266)

Cottonwood's Ed Walsh and Tucson's George McQuillen had no-hitters this season... That brings the total in eight years to 15, with only one perfect game. Trivia question: Who pitched the perfect game?