The Baseball Review
1953 Award Winners
Thursday, October 1953
National League
Player of the Year
The manager of the Manchester Elephants said he thinks Adonis Millar is only going to get better as he gets older.
He may only be 23, but it will be hard to top the first baseman's 1953 campaign, as he has been named the winner of the National League Player of the Year Award.
His winning campaign featured a .362 batting average and a .418 on-base percentage this year. In 128 games he piled up 179 hits, 31 doubles, no triples, 33 home runs, 127 RBIs and 91 runs scored.
He received 6 first place votes out of a possible 16. Jack Barclay of the Edinburgh Cannons finished second in voting with 5 first place votes, while James O'Toole of the Manchester Elephants finished third with 5 first place votes.
Pitcher of the Year
Three in a row for James O'Toole, this year's National League Pitcher of the Year Award selection. This blossoming hurler wowed fans, peers and sportswriters with a fabulous performance.
O'Toole compiled a 25-7 record in 34 starts, tallied 188 strikeouts in 297 innings and recorded a 1.91 ERA. Other clubs managed only a .209 batting average against him.
He received 16 first place votes, as a unanimous winner. Declan Robinson of the Manchester Elephants finished second in voting, while Alfie Train of the Edinburgh Cannons finished third.
Rookie of the Year
Today the National League announced that Manchester first baseman Adonis Millar is the winner of the 1953 Rookie of the Year Award.
He finished the regular season with a .362 batting average, 31 doubles, no triples and 33 home runs. Millar also had 127 RBIs and scored 91 times.
He received 16 first place votes, as a unanimous winner. Robin Barrett of the Bristol Pirates finished second in voting, while Teague Doyle of the Manchester Elephants finished third.
Player - Team - First Place - Total Points
Adonis Millar - Manchester Elephants - 16 - 80
Robin Barrett - Bristol Pirates - 0 - 45
Teague Doyle - Manchester Elephants - 0 - 8
Finley Ashworth - Edinburgh Cannons - 0 - 7
Killian Pickersgill - Bristol Pirates - 0 - 3
Great Glove
Good defense can be the difference between taking the championship and coming in second. The National League announced its top defenders at each position today. Here are the Great Glove Award winners for 1953:
Pitcher
Christopher O'Keefe (Birmingham Athletics)
Catcher
Bert Wakefield (London Monarchs)
First Baseman
Leo Hamer (Leeds White Sox)
Second Baseman
Kane Hamilton (Nottingham Sheriffs)
Third Baseman
Daniel Williamson (Manchester Elephants)
Shortstop
Lewis McEwan (Bristol Pirates)
Left Fielder
Teague Doyle (Manchester Elephants)
Center Fielder
Iestyn Taylor (London Monarchs)
Right Fielder
Joseph Pallett (London Monarchs)
Manager of the Year
Dennis Dickerson, skipper of the Manchester Elephants, was voted 1953 National League Manager of the Year and accepted the award earlier today.
He guided Manchester to first place in the National League with a 91-41 record.
"I'm very happy about this," he said at the press conference. "But I'm more happy about what my boys did on the field. They battled their butts off for me all year. They should get the credit."
Union League
Player of the Year
Fursey Chapman took British Baseball Association by storm this year, and he did it all at the age of 25.
For his spectacular campaign, the Blackpool Excursions star has been named the 1953 Union League Player of the Year Award recipient.
"To be considered amongst the best in the league is overwhelming," said the second baseman.
On the season he compiled a .344 batting average to go with a .448 on-base percentage. The native of Rugeley, England also added 29 doubles, 1 triple, 31 home runs, 80 RBIs and 113 runs scored.
He received 9 first place votes out of a possible 16. Pat Henderson of the Blackpool Excursions finished second in voting with 4 first place votes, while Thomas O'Hanrahan of the Croydon Capitals finished third with 3 first place votes.
Pitcher of the Year
Blackpool ace Graham Ingleby put up some sensational stats for the 1953 season and has been voted the Union League Pitcher of the Year Award winner.
The 23-year-old Excursions star made 32 starts and racked up a 20-7 record. He pitched 260.1 innings, collected 220 strikeouts, gave up 116 walks and 242 hits in holding the opposition to a .245 batting average.
He received 13 first place votes out of a possible 16. Colin Clive of the Blackpool Excursions finished second in voting with 1 first place vote, while Billy Walsh of the Croydon Capitals finished third with 2 first place votes.
Rookie of the Year
Fursey Chapman made quite a name for himself in his rookie year. The Blackpool second baseman brought home the 1953 Rookie of the Year Award today in recognition of his performance.
Chapman played in 132 games, batted .344, collected 178 hits in 517 at-bats, 31 home runs, 80 RBIs, 113 runs scored, 99 walks and compiled a .448 OBP.
He received 9 first place votes out of a possible 16. Pat Henderson of the Blackpool Excursions finished second in voting with 7 first place votes, while James Rankin of the Sheffield Steelmen finished third.
Player - Team - First Place - Total Points
Fursey Chapman - Blackpool Excursions - 9 - 66
Pat Henderson - Blackpool Excursions - 7 - 62
James Rankin - Sheffield Steelmen - 0 - 11
Graham Ingleby - Blackpool Excursions - 0 - 4
Adam Mulligan - Blackpool Excursions - 0 - 1
Great Glove
Union League hitters looked on in disbelief all season long as this group of defenders made stellar plays in the field.
For being incredibly valuable on the defensive side of the game, the following players have been given the Great Glove Award for 1953:
Pitcher
Rob Fisher (Hull Tigers)
Catcher
Daniel Leeming (Cardiff Dragons)
First Baseman
Thomas O'Hanrahan (Croydon Capitals)
Second Baseman
Harold Harrison (Bradford Boars)
Third Baseman
Gideon McEwan (Hull Tigers)
Shortstop
Evan Armstrong (Sheffield Steelmen)
Left Fielder
Jacob West (Sheffield Steelmen)
Center Fielder
Tim Griffiths (Sheffield Steelmen)
Right Fielder
Josh Armstrong (Newcastle Knights)
Manager of the Year
Patrick Cole of the Croydon Capitals, led his team to a 85-47 record and an assured performance in the Championship Series to see his team crowned the best in Britain.