Midwest League Reference Pages

Awards

This page lists the annual award winners--Most Valuable Player, Manager of the Year, and so forth--awarded by to players and other participants in the Midwest League, a Single-A minor baseball league with teams in several states. This table includes some winners for the MWL predecessors the Mississippi-Ohio Valley League and the Illinois State League. Most of these awards were given by the league itself, though some were awarded by other bodies.

Some winners are missing; so are some awards.

The King of Baseball

2007 Dave Walker, Burlington

Warren Giles Award

1985 William K. Walters, Burlington (MWL President)

Manager of the Year

1947 Walter DeFreitas, Belleville

1956 Len Okrie, Lafayette

1958 Buddy Kerr, Michigan City
1959 Stubby Overmire, Decatur
1960 Matt Sczesny, Waterloo
1961 Buddy Kerr, Quincy
1962 Cal Ripken, Appleton
1963 Don Bacon, Clinton

1965 Gus Niarhos, Burlington
1966 Al Ronning, Burlington
1967 Alex Cosmidis, Appleton
1968 Jack Krol, Cedar Rapids
1969 Tom Saffell, Appleton
1970 Frank Calo, Danville
1971 Joe Sparks, Appleton
1972 Joe Nossek, Danville
1973 Bernie Smith, Danville
1974 John Goryl, Wisconsin Rapids
1975 John Sullivan, Waterloo
1976 Francis "Salty" Parker, Cedar Rapids
1977 Denis Menke, Burlington
1978 Gordon Lund, Appleton
     Woody Smith, Waterloo
1979 Tom Robson, Wausau
1980 Rich Stelmaszek, Wisconsin Rapids
1981 Gomer Hodge, Waterloo
1982 George Enright, Quad City
1983 Gomer Hodge, Waterloo
1984 Tom Gamboa, Beloit
1985 Duffy Dyer, Kenosha
1986 Gaylen Pitts, Springfield
1987 Don Leppert, Kenosha
1988 Marc Bombard, Cedar Rapids
1989 Dave Miley, Cedar Rapids
1990 Don Long, Quad City
1991 Gary Jones, Madison
1992 Tom Poquette, Appleton
1993 Jack Mull, Clinton
1994 John Mizerock, Rockford
1995 DeMarlo Hale, Michigan
1996 Roy Silver, Peoria
1997 Bruce Fields, West Michigan
1998 Billy Gardner, Michigan
1999 Rick Renteria, Kane County
2000 Bruce Fields, West Michigan
2001 Russ Morman, Kane County
2002 Todd Claus, Cedar Rapids
2003 Webster Garrison, Kane County
2004 Dave Joppie, Kane County
2005 Mark Haley, South Bend
2006 Matt Walbeck, West Michigan
2007 Tom Brookens, West Michigan
2008 Mark Haley, South Bend
2009 Doug Dascenzo, Fort Wayne
     Marty Pevey, Peoria

Most Valuable Player/
Player of the Year

1956 Grover "Deacon" Jones, Dubuque

1958 Gus Sancimino, Kokomo
1959 Joel McDaniel, Decatur
1960 Tom Haake, Dubuque
1961 Hector Cardenas, Dubuque
1962 Tony Torchia, Keokuk/Midwest

1975 Willie Wilson, Waterloo
1976 Wayne Cato, Cedar Rapids
1977 Paul Molitor, Burlington
1978 Bill Foley, Burlington
1979 Dave Stockstill, Wausau
1980 Von Hayes, Waterloo
1981 Ed Saavedra, Waterloo
1982 Tom Romano, Madison
1983 Curt Ford, Springfield
1984 Joey Meyer, Beloit
1985 Eddie Williams, Cedar Rapids
1986 Luis Medina, Waterloo
1987 Greg Vaughn, Beloit
     Todd Zeile, Springfield
1988 Lenny Webster, Kenosha
1989 Tom Redington, Burlington
1990 Reggie Sanders, Cedar Rapids
1991 Salomon Torres, Clinton
1992 Steve Gibralter, Cedar Rapids
1993 Dean Biasucci, Springfield
1994 Sal Fasano, Rockford
1995 Jesse Ibarra, Burlington
1996 Larry Barnes, Cedar Rapids
1997 Robert Fick, West Michigan
1998 Pablo Ozuna, Peoria
1999 Aaron McNeal, Michigan
2000 Albert Pujols, Peoria
2001 Adrian Gonzalez, Kane County
2002 Jason Stokes, Kane County
2003 Prince Fielder, Beloit
2004 Brian Dopirak, Lansing
2005 Carlos Gonzales, South Bend
2006 Jeff Baisley, Kane County
2007 Gorkys Hernandez, West Michigan
2008 Ben Revere, Beloit
2009 Dee Gordon, Great Lakes
     Kyle Russell, Great Lakes

Prospect of the Year

1975 Willie Wilson, Waterloo
1976 Clint Hurdle, Waterloo
1977 Paul Molitor, Burlington
1978 Bill Foley, Burlington
1979 Dave Stockstill, Wausau
1980 Von Hayes, Waterloo
1981 Harold Reynolds, Wausau
1982 Mark Grant, Clinton
1983 Shawon Dunston, Quad City
1984 Kurt Stilwell, Cedar Rapids
1985 B.J. Surhoff, Beloit
1986 Luis Medina, Waterloo
     Steve Gasser, Kenosha
1987 Derek Parks, Kenosha
1988 Tom Gordon, Appleton
1989 Tom Redington, Burlington
1990 Reggie Sanders, Cedar Rapids
1991 Salomon Torres, Clinton
1992 Steve Gibralter, Cedar Rapids
1993 Johnny Damon, Rockford
1994 Alex Rodriguez, Appleton
1995 Javier Valentin, Fort Wayne
1996 Britt Reames, Peoria
1997 Francisco Cordero, West Michigan
1998 Pablo Ozuna, Peoria
1999 Corey Patterson, Lansing
2000 Albert Pujols, Peoria
     Austin Kearns, Dayton
2001 Adrian Gonzalez, Kane County
2002 Joe Mauer, Quad City
2003 Prince Fielder, Beloit
2004 Brian Dopirak, Lansing
2005 Carlos Gonzales, South Bend
2006 Cameron Maybin, West Michigan
2007 Clayton Kershaw, Great Lakes
2008 Ben Revere, Beloit
2009 Dee Gordon, Great Lakes

Rookie of the Year

1956 Arturo (Carbonell) Miro, Clinton

1958 Juan Marichal, Michigan City
1959 Dale Reichert, Kokomo
1960 Bob Sprout, Decatur
1961 Dennis Ribant, Quad Cities
1962 Barry Shollenberger, Waterloo

Rolaids Relief Men

1982 Ron Kaufman, Quad City
1983 Al Jones, Appleton

Larry MacPhail Promotional Trophy

1988 Bill Kuehn, Clinton

1997 South Bend Silver Hawks staff
1998 John Guthrie, West Michigan Whitecaps

2005 Peoria Chiefs

2007 West Michigan Whitecaps
2008 Peoria Chiefs
2009 Dayton Dragons
          

Executive of the Year

1966 Ed Holtz, Appleton
1967 Ed Holtz, Appleton

1969 Ed Holtz, Appleton
1970 Ed Holtz, Appleton
1971 Ed Holtz, Appleton

1973 Fritz Colschen, Clinton
1974 Dave Brunk, Waterloo
1975 Mike Feder, Wausau
     Jerry Lambert, Quad City
1976 Don Buchheister, Cedar Rapids
1977 Harry Pells, Quad City
1978 Dave Hersh, Appleton
1979 Bob Arterburn, Wisconsin Rapids
1980 Roger Crow, Quad City
1981 Roger Crow, Quad City
     Gus Stokes, Clinton
1982 Paul Larson, Clinton
1983 Lee Landers, Springfield
1984 Dave Tarolly, Beloit
1985 Pete Vonachen, Peoria
1986 Jim Peterson, Waterloo
1987 Jack Roeder, Wausau
1988 Bob Lee, Kenosha
1989 John Baxter, South Bend
1990 Mike Tatoian, Quad City
1991 Kevin Temperly, Clinton
1992 Jack Roeder, Cedar Rapids
1993 Bill Larsen, Kane County
1994 Scott Lane, West Michigan

1997 Jim Weigel, Lansing
1998 Mike Birling, Wisconsin
1999 Jeff Sedivy, Kane County

2001 Chuck Brockett, Burlington
2002 Rocky Vonachen, Peoria

2004 Mike Nutter, Fort Wayne
2005 Dave Walker, Burlington
2006 Jim Jarecki, West Michigan
2007 Rob Zerjav, Wisconsin
2008 Paul Barbeau, Great Lakes
2009 Mike Nutter, Fort Wayne

John H. Johnson President's Trophy

1997 Dave Walker, Burlington
1998 Clinton LumberKings front office staff

2005 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

2007 Cedar Rapids Kernels
2008 Cedar Rapids Kernels
2009 Fort Wayne TinCaps

Minor League Class A Executive of the Year

1971 Ed Holtz, Appleton

1973 Fritz Colschen, Clinton

1976 Don Buchheister, Cedar Rapids
1977 Harry Pells, Quad City
1978 Dave Hersh, Appleton

1984 Dave Tarrolly, Beloit

1989 John Baxter, South Bend

Rawling Sportswoman/Woman Executive of the Year

1984 Mildred Boyenga, Waterloo

1989 Bea Buchheister, Cedar Rapids
1990 Rita Baxter, South Bend
1991 Bobbi Landers, Springfield
1992 Lesley Kellison, Quad City
1993 Susan Oltowski, Rockford
1994 Nancy Cram, Cedar Rapids

1997 Sarah Couey, Rockford
1998 Sue Lesters and Amy Mason, Kane County
1999 Stephanie Gray, Midwest League staff

2003 Angie Ceranski, Wisconsin
2004 Nikki Becker, Wisconsin
2005 Laurie Schill, Wisconsin

2007 Jessica Fergesen, Cedar Rapids
2008 Andrea Murphy, Cedar Rapids
     Stefanie Brown, Quad Cities
2009 Stefanie Brown, Quad Cities

Woman of the Year

1979 Doris Krucker, Quad Cities/Midwest League staff 

Playing Facilities

1977 Appleton
1978 Appleton
1979 Appleton
1980 Cedar Rapids
1981 Cedar Rapids (best)
     Cedar Rapids (most improved)
     Waterloo (most improved)
1982 Cedar Rapids (best)
     Springfield (best)
     Wisconsin Rapids (most improved)
1983 Springfield (best)
     Beloit (most improved)
1984 Springfield (best)
     Kenosha (most improved)

1986 Burlington (most improved)
1987 Springfield (best)
     Peoria (best)
     Clinton (most improved)
1988 South Bend (best)
     Springfield (best)
     Waterloo (most improved)
1989 South Bend (best)
     Springfield (best)
     Davenport (most improved)
1990 South Bend (best)
     Beloit (most improved)

1997 West Michigan (East)
     Wisconsin (Central)
     Burlington (West)
1998 West Michigan (East)
     Wisconsin (Central)
     Quad City (West)

Groundskeeper of the Year

1997 Chad Huss, Wisconsin
1998 Gary Mayse, Wisconsin
1999 Greg Hofer, Wisconsin

2005 Jesse Roeder, Cedar Rapids

Stadium Operations

1997 South Bend (East)
     Wisconsin (Central)
     Quad City (West)
1998 West Michigan (East)
     Kane County (Central)
     Quad City (West)

Hugo H. Kohn Sportsmanship Award

1984 Kenosha, Wisconsin
1987 Clinton, Iowa
1988 Clinton, Iowa
1989 Beloit, Wisconsin
1990 Kenosha, Wisconsin