1921 North Carolina State League — Player Awards
Most Outstanding Hitter Award
Everything is complete. Winston-Salem outfielder
Angel Pellicer has his name back on the top hitter award. Pellicer won it for the sixth time. Not bad for a nine-year run. Of course, he’ll take the championship over individual awards, but having both is even better.
He scorched the opposition with a .387 average, picking up 234 hits, 38 doubles, 16 triples, 4 home runs and 107 RBIs, while scoring 121 runs, in what many would say has been one of the better seasons of the veteran's career.
Past Winners
1913 - Angel Pellicer (Winston-Salem)
1914 - Randy Downs (Greensboro)
1915 - Antonio Arevalo (Durham)
1916 - Angel Pellicer (Winston-Salem)
1917 - Angel Pellicer (Winston-Salem)
1918 - Angel Pellicer (Winston-Salem)
1919 - Angel Pellicer (Winston-Salem)
1920 - Bill Robbins (Raleigh)
1921 - Angel Pellicer (Winston-Salem)
Most Outstanding Pitcher Award
The 1920 top rookie became the 1921 top pitcher.
Howard Miller of Winston-Salem had a stellar season, which of course was capped with a championship.
Miller excelled with an impressive 24-11 record in 41 starts. In 288.1 innings he yielded 335 hits and 68 walks, while striking out 122 and compiling a fine 3.68 ERA. He was 22-11 last year as a rookie, so look out for this kid in the years to come. He’s only 27. “My goal is to win as many top pitcher awards as Angel has won top hitter honors,” Miller said.
Counting
Gary “Brick” Lee, Winston currently has two MVP pitchers on its staff.
Past Winners
1913 - Kenny Davis (Durham)
1914 - Oliver “Skull” Jenkins (Raleigh)
1915 - Oliver “Skull” Jenkins (Raleigh)
1916 - Rudy Young (Charlotte)
1917 - Gary “Brick“ Lee (Winston-Salem)
1918 - Craig Clark (Charlotte)
1919 - Javier Guerra (Charlotte)
1920 - Chris Wilson (Asheville)
1921 - Howard Miller (Winston-Salem)
Newcomer Of The Year Award
Mike Zimmer of the Greensboro Patriots (one of the few top picks not traded away) made quite a splash on the North Carolina State League scene in 1921 by nabbing the Newcomer of the Year Award.
The standout Patriots shortstop took the honor by hitting .337 in 156 games this season and finishing with 223 hits, no home runs, 68 RBIs and 112 runs scored. Zimmer is hoping to be a mainstay in the heart of the Greensboro lineup for many years to come -- and hopes to bring the Pats to the level where the Twins are now.
Zimmer becomes Greensboro’s first major award winner since Randy Downs was voted top hitter in 1914.
Past Winners
1913 - Angel Pellicer (Winston-Salem)
1914 - Vincente Nieves (Raleigh)
1915 - Chris Wilson (Asheville)
1916 - Jose Andres (Asheville)
1917 - Jack Fry (Winston-Salem)
1918 - Craig Clark (Charlotte)
1919 - Arturo Martinez (Raleigh)
1920 - Howard Miller (Winston-Salem)
1921 - Mike Zimmer (Greensboro)
Glove Wizard Awards
SP Carroll Lauton of the Raleigh Capitals
C Boyd Carlson of the Durham Bulls
1B Andy Gross of the Wilmington Pirates (some love for the new teams on the block)
2B Joe Herrera of the Greensboro Patriots
3B Marcos Roland of the Fayetteville Highlanders
SS Craig Gray of the Charlotte Hornets honored
LF John O'Reilly of the Asheville Tourists
CF John Stewart of the Asheville Tourists
RF Blair Beach of the Asheville Tourists (a nice steady outfield in the mountains)