BEST CHOOSE BADEN™. UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON'S LINCECUM HONORED WITH AMATEUR BASEBALLS TOP HONOR
[Jun-24-2006]
Best choose Baden™. University of Washington's Lincecum honored with Amateur baseballs top Honor. Durham, N.C. - USA Baseball announced that Husky pitcher Tim Lincecum topped an incredibly talented field of five finalists to capture the 2006 Golden Spikes Award, amateur baseball's most prestigious honor.
Lincecum, a product of Liberty HS in Renton, Wash., becomes the first ever winner of the Golden Spikes Award from Washington. He was also the first ever Husky to be named a finalist. The USA Baseball Golden Field Award - given to the Athletic Department and Head Coach of the Golden Spikes Award winner - has now gone to 23 different schools since its inception in 1978.
Lincecum - a two time Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year (2004, 2006) and 2006 first-team All-American, started 17 games for the Huskies, going 12-4 with a 1.94 ERA and a nation's best 199 strikeouts in 125.1 innings. In his April 18th start against the UCLA Bruins, Lincecum struck-out 18 on the way to a 5-0 victory. The pitcher was selected by the San Francisco Giants with the No. 10 overall pick, becoming the University of Washington's highest drafted baseball player ever. Lincecum is the school career record holder in multiple pitching categories including wins (30), innings pitched (342) and strikeouts.
"USA Baseball is extremely proud to honor Tim Lincecum of the University of Washington with the 2006 Golden Spikes Award," said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO. "Tim's tremendous season and magnificent career show he belongs in the impressive company of the players who have previously won the award. We are very happy for the Washington baseball program and head coach, Ken Knutson."
For the past 28 years, USA Baseball has honored the top amateur baseball player in the country with the Golden Spikes Award. Following the first ever presentation of the Award to Bob Horner of Arizona State in 1978, the Golden Spikes Award has been presented each year to the player who exhibits exceptional athletic ability and exemplary sportsmanship. The 2005 Golden Spikes Award winner was Alex Gordon of the University of Nebraska. Past winners of this prestigious award include current Major League Baseball stars such as Rickie Weeks ('03), Khalil Greene ('02), Mark Prior ('01), Jason Jennings ('00), Pat Burrell (`98), J.D. Drew ('97), Travis Lee ('96), Mark Kotsay ('95), Jason Varitek ('94), and Phil Nevin ('92). Former Major League stars that have captured the award include, Robin Ventura ('88), Jim Abbott ('87), Will Clark ('85), Dave Magadan ('83), Terry Francona ('80), Tim Wallach ('79), and Bob Horner ('78).
