Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz has been selected as the Hickok Belt Award winner for the month of October 2013. Voting was conducted by a select panel of members of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NSSA). Ortiz was selected based on his outstanding performance throughout October, a month in which he led the Red Sox to a World Series title against the St. Louis Cardinals – the first World Series victory for the Red Sox at Fenway Park since 1918 and the team’s third championship since 2004. Ortiz dominated St. Louis pitching with a batting average of .688, and an on-base percentage of .760, with 2 home runs and 6 RBI over the course of the 6 game series. For his efforts Ortiz was also named World Series MVP.
Other finalists for the month of October in order of how the NSSA voters ranked them included: Peyton Manning (football), Michael Wacha (baseball), Jon Lester (baseball), Koji Uehara (baseball), Justin Verlander (baseball), Calvin Johnson (football), Sidney Crosby (hockey), Tiger Woods (golf), and Ted Ligety (skiing).
Ortiz’s selection as the Hickok Belt Award winner for October 2013 recognizes him as “the best of the best” in professional sports for the month and makes him the seventh candidate eligible to receive the 2013 overall award, joining previous 2013 monthly winners Peyton Manning, Colin Kaepernick, Joe Flacco, Miguel Cabrera, Lebron James, and Phil Mickelson.
To learn more about the Hickok Belt Award and its rich history, please visit www.HickokBelt.com.
12/1/13
