Rockies Pitcher Chad Bettis Wins Tony Conigliaro Award
DENVER (CBS4)- Colorado Rockies pitcher Chad Bettis is this year's recipient of the Tony Conigliaro Award.
Bettis, 28, was selected by a 21-person committee of media members, Major League Baseball executives, Red Sox officials, fan representatives and Conigliaro's brothers Richie and Billy.
The award is given to a big leaguer who has overcome adversity while showing great spirit, determination and courage.
Bettis missed the early part of last season while undergoing treatment for testicular cancer. He was diagnosed in November 2016. He had surgery just eight days later but during a follow-up screening in March of this year, doctors discovered his cancer had returned to his lymph nodes.
Bettis underwent nine weeks of chemotherapy, beginning his first round less than two weeks before his wife, Kristina, gave birth to the couple's first child, Everleigh Rae.
Bettis had his final cancer treatment on May 16 and began working out with the team in June. He returned to the mound in August and made nine starts with two wins.
The Conigliaro Award has been given every year since 1990 in memory of the former Red Sox outfielder, whose career was tragically shortened by a beanball in 1967 and whose life ended in 1990 at the age of 45.
The award will be presented at the 79th annual Boston Baseball Writers' dinner co-hosted by the Boston chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America and the Sports Museum. The dinner is scheduled for Jan. 18, 2018, at the Marriott Copley Place.
"I think being able to be the recipient of this year's award is nothing short of an honor,'' Bettis said in a statement. "And I feel like the award goes beyond just myself to the help and encouragement of my family and teammates and the entire Colorado Rockies organization.''