The league’s top earned run average pitcher will earn the Tom Browning Award. Browning was a member of Clonan Post and went on to a fine career in the major leagues. He is one of the few players ever to hurl a perfect game, and he was a member of the 1990 World Champion Reds. His numbers speak for themselves – a record of 123-90 (.577 winning percentage), 3.94 career ERA, 31 complete games and 12 shutouts. He notched 1,000 strikeouts in 312 games and had 1,921 innings pitched.

The league’s home run leader will earn the Andy Van Slyke Slugger Award. Van Slyke, a native of New Hartford and a former member of Clonan Post also, was a major leaguer for over 12 seasons. His career began in 1983 with the St. Louis Cardinals. Two years a major leaguer, Van Slyke went to the World Series in 1985. The Cardinals’ win earned Van Slyke his only World Series ring, but it was a memory he would not change for the world. Van Slyke spent the majority of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, appearing in three post season series with them, and then finished his career with a season in Baltimore with the Orioles and in Philadelphia with the Phillies. During his prime, however, there were few better centerfielders in the National League; or the majors for that matter. Van Slyke did it all in the field and was no slouch at the plate either. He finished his career with a .276 batting average, 164 round trippers, 792 RBI, and 835 runs scored. He had a great eye at the plate enabling him to draw 667 bases on balls, and he was an adept base runner, stealing 293 bases in his career for a stolen bases success rate percentage of .806!

The league’s Runs Batted In will be named after Whitesboro’s Mark Lemke. The Mark Lemke Award, will honor the player who compiled the most total bases in a year. “Lemmer,” as he came to be known, was an indispensable part of the Atlanta Braves’ success throughout most of the 1990s. Arriving in the major leagues in 1988, the switch-hitting second baseman immediately earned the admiration and respect of his manager, Bobby Cox, and the rest of his teammates. His hardnosed play allowed him to make up for his lack of major success at the plate. Lemke was an average-to-below-average hitter, but the Braves did not care. They got this scrappy guy for his fielding acumen which would prove most valuable any day. Lemke, who seemed to make every play he was involved in on the field, did have some memorable moments at the plate. His clutch hitting throughout his career, especially during the memorable 1991 World Series, where the Braves and their opponents the Minnesota Twins went from worst-to-first in one season, proved amazing. The Braves, had they won, would have unanimously chosen the little second baseman as their Most Valuable Player. Lemke finished his career with the Boston Red Sox, but before that, he was able to play in two World Series (the Braves won in 1995 earning Lemke a World Series ring) and six other post seasons. He hit just 32 home runs in his career, but had 270 clutch RBIs to go along with his 795 hits, 125 of which were two-baggers, and 349 runs scored.

The league’s batting leader will earn the Archi Cianfrocco Award, named in honor of former Rome standout Angelo “Archi” Cianfrocco. Cianfrocco had a major league career that spanned seven seasons, from 1992-1998. He began his career in Montreal under the tutelage of the great Felipe Alou. In a rough time for the financially-strapped Expos, they traded the promising youngster to the San Diego Padres. Cianfrocco would become a valuable bench player/reserve who would play an important role in the Padres’ first trip to the World Series in 14 years. The 1998 Padres had virtually no shot against the mighty New York Yankees, who had won 116 games that season and would sweep the Padres in four games, but Cianfrocco got to do what the other three award-sponsors had already done – play in a World Series. Cianfrocco participated in 500 games a major leaguer. His best “power” year was in 1993 when he smashed 11 home runs and knocked in 47 RBI in just 84 games. He would have his best hitting season in 1996 when he batted .281 for the year. This first baseman/third baseman was a valuable role-player who played more than most bench players - amassing over 1,200 at bats in the majors. He was also successful on the base paths where his success rate for stolen bases was .842.

Lou Parrotta