Tip O`Neil Award 2011 shared by Joey Votto and John Axford – MLB News
The Cincinnati Reds’ Joey Votto and the Milwaukee Brewers’ John Axford on Wednesday, December 14, received the Tip O`Neil Award, shared by both for 2011. They were conferred with the award by the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
The first baseman of the Reds’ Joey Votto and closer belonging to the Milwaukee Brewers, according to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum received the award for “individual achievement and team contribution while adhering to baseball's highest
ideals."
The last time any two players had to share the award were Eric Gagne and Larry Walker who got it in the 2002. It is an achievement that came as a matter of pride for both the players as they represented two different teams and with excellence.
"John and I are very proud to represent the Reds, Brewers and our country as Major League Baseball players, and we appreciate the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame's recognition of our contributions to the game both individually and as part of a team," Votto
said.
The Brewers closer Axford deserved the award for his outstanding performance in 2011. Having a total of 46 games throughout the season, the closer had an ERA of 1.95 with 86 strike-outs to his credit, enabling the team to win some of the seemingly impossible
games.
All the same, when it comes to the first baseman of the Cincinnati Reds, he had a wonderful average of .309 throughout the season with no less than 103 RBIs and 29 home-runs that he hit, not to mention his being the leader with 40 doubles in the National
League.
"After the exceptional seasons had by both of them, one being a pitcher and the other a position player, it came down to exactly that -- how do you say no to either of them?" Hall said.
Important to mention is the fact that this was not the first award that Votto has won. He had won it back in 2010 as well, becoming the fifth player in the history of baseball to have this honour on more than one occasion.
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