San Francisco Giants Pitcher and World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner has been selected as the Hickok Belt Award winner for the month of October 2014.
Voting was conducted by a select panel of members of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NSSA). Bumgarner became the first monthly Hickok Belt Award Winner to be selected unanimously thanks to his incredible performance at the 2014 World Series.
In one of the greatest World Series pitching performances of all time, Bumgarner defeated the Kansas City Royals in Game 1, pitched a shutout in Game 5, and finally came on in relief to clinch the victory in Game 7 with 5 shutout innings – allowing only two hits while striking out four with no walks.
Bumgarner also became the sixth man in World Series history to pitch at least 5 innings in 3 different World Series games while allowing no more than one earned run per contest.
Other finalists for the month of October in order of how the NSSA voters ranked them included: Tom Brady (football), Pablo Sandoval (baseball), Wade Davis (baseball), Peyton Manning (football), Arian Foster (football), Demaryius Thomas (football), Corey Perry (hockey) & John Jay (baseball), and Frederik Andersen (hockey).
Bumgarner’s selection as the Hickok Belt Award winner for October 2014 recognizes him as “the best of the best” in professional sports for the month. He is also one of nine candidates eligible to receive the 2014 overall award, joining previous 2014 monthly winners Kevin Durant, Carey Price, Tuukka Rask, Bubba Watson, Nelson Cruz, Clayton Kershaw, Rory McllRoy, and Jordan Zimmermann.
