DENVER (NCBWA) The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association,
working in Association with the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce,
has released the list of 30 semifinalists for the 2004 Dick Howser Trophy,
given to the top player in collegiate baseball.
The membership of the NCBWA will choose the Dick Howser Trophy based
on three rounds of voting. The 2004 winner will announced at the College
World Series in Omaha on Friday, June 18 at 9:30 a.m. CDT.
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 permanently displayed at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, home
of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the 1999 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four.
Both the winner and his school receive a special trophy to keep.
The St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce is in its 105th year of existence
in 2004. 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 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.
The Howser Trophy was created in 1987, shortly after Howser's death.
Previous winners of the Howser Trophy are:
1987 Mike Fiore, Miami
1988 Robin Ventura, Oklahoma State
1989 Scott Bryant, Texas
1990 Alex Fernandez, Miami-Dade C.C. South
1991 Frank Rodriguez, Howard College (Texas)
1992 Brooks Kieschnick, Texas
1993 Brooks Kieschnick, Texas
1994 Jason Varitek, Georgia Tech
1995 Todd Helton, Tennessee
1996 Kris Benson, Clemson
1997 J.D. Drew, Florida State
1998 Eddy Furniss, LSU
1999 Jason Jennings, Baylor
2000 Mark Teixeira, Georgia Tech
2001 Mark Prior, Southern California
2002 Khalil Greene, Clemson
2003 Rickey Weeks, Southern
Related link:
Dick Howser Trophy
official site (dickhowsertrophy.com)