Award Winners Announced!
With the conclusion of the 1871 season, the National Association has elected the best batter and pitcher for the year and the two players come from teams at opposite ends of the standings.
Batter of the Year
Chicago White Stockings center fielder Bob Polansky was named the National Assocation Batter of the year. Polansky led all of baseball in batting average, with a .486 and 69 hits. His 5 home runs were also tops in the league, while his 45 runs scored and 34 runs batted in were among the top 5 batters. At one point in the year, Polansky hit safely in 24 consecutive games. Despite Polansky's strong play, Chicago finished the year with a city recovering from the most destructive urban fire in American history and a last place team.
Pitcher of the Year
The Philadelphia Athletics were the best team in the National Association in 1871, and that was in no small part due to the efforts of moundsman Joe Dimond. Dimond's 15 wins on the season were 5 more than any other pitcher, and his 2.64 ERA was good enough for 3rd in the league. He completed 12 of his 26 starts, including shutting out the Boston Red Stockings when the team played their first game of the season on May 20. His 24 strikeouts were also the highest mark for all pitchers.