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Aaron Crow Named Semifinalist for Howser and Clemens Awards
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May 15, 2008
Mizzou junior Aaron Crow has been named a semifinalist for the 2008 Dick Howser Trophy, which is awarded to the nation's top collegiate player. He is also among a group of 10 semifinalist for the 2008 Roger Clemens Award, which is given to the nation's best collegiate pitcher. Crow is one of 16 semifinalist for the Howser Trophy, as announced by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association on Thursday. Joining Crow on that list are Ike Davis (Arizona State), Brett Wallace (Arizona State), David Cooper (Cal), Buster Posey (Florida State), Gordon Beckham (Georgia), Chris Shehan (Georgia Southern), Sawyer Carroll (Kentucky), Collin Cowgill (Kentucky), Jemile Weeks (Miami), Johnny Dorn (Nebraska), George Brown (St. John's), Brian Matusz (San Diego), Stephen Strasburg (San Diego State), Justin Smoak (South Carolina) and Shooter Hunt (Tulane). Crow is joined on the Clemens semifinalist list by Brian Matusz (San Diego), Scott Bittle (Mississippi), Joshua Fields (Georgia), Scott Gorgen (UC Irvine), Chris Hernandez (Miami (Fla.)), Shooter Hunt (Tulane) Mike Leake (Arizona State), Andrew Liebel (Long Beach State) and Stephen Strasburg of San Diego State. Crow,a righty from Wakarusa, Kan., is 11-0 with a 2.82 ERA. He leads the nation with his 11 wins on the year and is fifth nationally with 103 strikeouts. He will start in Mizzou series opener with Nebraska this weekend, which is set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday at Taylor Stadium. The Dick Howser Trophy, given in memory of the former Florida State University All-America shortstop and major league player and manager who died of brain cancer in 1987, is regarded by many as college baseball's most prestigious award. Criteria for consideration for the trophy include performance on the field, leadership, moral character and courage, qualities that were exemplified by Dick Howser's life. A Florida native, Howser was twice an All-America shortstop at Florida State University (1957-58), then coached the Seminoles in 1979 after a career as a major league player and coach. After one year in the college ranks, Howser returned to the majors to manage the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals and won the World Series with the Royals in 1985. The baseball stadium on the Florida State campus is named for Howser.
The winner's name is inscribed on the permanent trophy, a bronze bust of Howser displayed at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg - home of the Tampa Bay Rays and the 1999 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four - along with several other locations. Both the winner and his school receive a special trophy to keep. The St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce is in its 109th year of existence in 2008. The organization has long been a vital force in the baseball affairs of the city, both in spring training and during the pursuit of a major league baseball franchise for the Tampa Bay-St. Petersburg area and continues its solid role in the 21st Century. NCBWA membership includes writers, broadcasters and publicists. Designed to promote and publicize college baseball, it is the sport's only college media-related organization, founded in 1962.
Voters for The Roger Clemens Award are broken down into three groups. All Division 1 head baseball coaches are issued ballots, as are a selected group of writers and broadcasters who cover the college game. In addition the 16 winners of the R.E. Bob Smith Award, which was presented in Houston in 1988-2003, are asked to vote, along with the 13 finalists from the first four years of the Clemens Award. The Roger Clemens Award was named after pitching legend Roger Clemens, who began his march to stardom while leading the University of Texas to the College World Series title in 1983. As a major-leaguer, Clemens won 354 games (eighth best in history), fanned 4,672 hitters and won seven Cy Young Awards, emblematic as the top pitcher in his league. The Roger Clemens Award is the only award of its kind, honoring the finest pitchers in college baseball. Voting to determine the three finalists for the 2008 award will begin on May 26. The event is administered by the Greater Houston Baseball Association, which has donated more than $300,000 to the charities from the net proceeds from the first four dinners. The GHBA is a non-profit 501.3 (C) organization dedicated to the growth of amateur baseball in the Houston area. |
