Lester Wins Tony C. Award

Jon Lester was recognized for his comeback from cancer Wednesday when he was named the winner of the 18th annual Tony Conigliaro Award. The honor is bestowed upon a major leaguer who overcomes adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination and courage that were trademarks of “Tony C.”

Conigliaro’s brothers, Billy and Richie, will make the official presentation of the award at the 69th Boston Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s dinner Jan. 17, 2008 at the Westin Waterfront Hotel in South Boston. Tickets are now available for the dinner.

In 1990 the Red Sox began the award to perpetuate the memory of Conigliaro, who died that February after an eight-year struggle to come back from a massive heart attack that left him severely handicapped. Major league teams submit nominations and an independent 12-person panel does the voting.

Lester was first with 51 points followed by the Padres’ Doug Brocail (who came back from heart surgery in 2006) with 24 and the Reds’ Josh Hamilton (who came back from multiple drug suspensions to have an impressive rookie season) with 14. Cleveland ’s Joe Borowski, Minnesota ’s Torii Hunter, the Yankees’ Andy Phillips, Tampa Bay ’s Al Reyes, and Washington ’s Dmitri Young also received votes. Lester is the second Sox player to ever receive the award while playing for the club, joining Bret Saberhagen in 1998.

After going 7-2 in 15 starts with the Sox in 2006, Lester was diagnosed with a treatable form of anaplastic large cell lymphoma in late August of that season. After beginning treatments at the Dana-Farber Center in Boston , he spent the next few months continuing the treatment at the Hutchinson Cancer Center in his hometown of Seattle.

In early December, he was pronounced cancer free and after the first of the year started his road back to the major leagues. After making 17 minor league starts at Greenville and Pawtucket , Lester was recalled by the Sox on July 23 and won in Cleveland that night for his first major league victory in 11 months. He went on to go 4-0 in 12 appearances (11 starts) for the Sox the rest of the regular season in helping the club earn its fourth playoff spot in five seasons.

After not seeing action in the Division Series, the lefthander made a pair of relief appearances in the League Championship Series, including three scoreless innings to save the Sox bullpen in a Game 4 loss. With Tim Wakefield unable to pitch in the World Series, Jon was the starter and winner in the decisive Game 4, working 5 2/3 scoreless innings to beat Aaron Cook—the 2005 winner of the Tony Conigliaro Award—as the Sox completed a second World Championship run in four seasons.

“Tony C.” became the youngest player (20) to lead a major league in HR when he hit 32 in 1965 and the youngest in A.L. history to reach 100 HR (22 yrs., 197 days). His promising career was tragically shortened when he was hit in the face by a pitch at Fenway Park Aug. 18, 1967. He missed all of 1968, made a dramatic comeback in 1969 and was traded to the California Angels after the 1970 season. Tony played two years with the Angels and then attempted another comeback with the Red Sox in 1975. After an excellent spring training, he made the regular season roster, got the team’s first hit that season and later the Sox first home run. His performance then fell off, and he was outrighted to AAA Pawtucket in mid-June before retiring in August.


Past Tony Conigliaro Award Winners
1990: Jim Eisenreich
1991: Dickie Thon
1992: Jim Abbott
1993: Bo Jackson
1994: Mark Leiter
1995: Scott Radinsky
1996: Curtis Pride
1997: Eric Davis
1998: Bret Saberhagen
1999: Mike Lowell
2000: Kent Mercker & Tony Saunders
2001: Graeme Lloyd & Jason Johnson
2002: Jose Rijo
2003: Jim Mecir
2004: Dewon Brazelton
2005: Aaron Cook
2006: Freddy Sanchez