DHL Hometown Heroes

DHL Hometown Heroes was a 2006 promotional event, sponsored by shipping company DHL, where Major League Baseball (MLB) fans were encouraged to vote for the most outstanding player in the history of each MLB franchise.

Fans were asked to vote for the most outstanding player in the history of each MLB franchise, based on on-field performance, leadership quality and character value. The candidates for the ballot were chosen by the clubs themselves, in conjunction with a blue-ribbon panel of baseball experts, journalists, and historians. The award winners were then chosen, over two months of voting, in a process similar to MLB all-star voting. Votes were cast by fans at every MLB ballpark, as well as online and via cell-phone. In all, nearly 17 million votes were cast.

On September 27, 2006 MLB announced a list of winning players, one from each team.

Of the players awarded, Nolan Ryan was the only player to win the award for two different teams: the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers.

Three of the honored players were true "hometown heroes" in the sense of starring with MLB teams in or near their actual hometowns. Ryan grew up from infancy in the Houston suburb of Alvin, Texas. Cal Ripken Jr., chosen by Baltimore Orioles fans, was born in Havre de Grace and grew up in Aberdeen, towns in Harford County, Maryland within 45 minutes' drive of Baltimore. Pete Rose, chosen by Cincinnati Reds fans, was born and raised in Cincinnati. (Note that although Jackie Robinson, selected by Los Angeles Dodgers fans, grew up in Pasadena, California, he never played for the franchise in Los Angeles. His entire MLB career was with the Brooklyn Dodgers.)

Award winners TeamNomineeNomineeNomineeNomineeWinnerYearsRefAngelsJim AbbottDon BaylorChuck FinleyTim Salmon1979–1985AstrosJeff BagwellCraig BiggioLarry DierkerJimmy Wynn1979–1988AthleticsDennis EckersleyLefty GroveRickey HendersonCatfish Hunter1967–1975, 1987Blue JaysRoberto AlomarTony FernándezPat HentgenDave Stieb1991–1997BravesChipper JonesPhil NiekroJohn SmoltzWarren Spahn1954–1974BrewersCecil CooperRollie FingersJim GantnerPaul Molitor1974–1993CardinalsLou BrockBob GibsonAlbert PujolsOzzie Smith1941–1944, 1946–1963CubsFerguson JenkinsRyne SandbergRon SantoBilly Williams1953–1971Devil RaysCarl CrawfordRoberto HernándezAubrey HuffFred McGriff1998–1999DiamondbacksJay BellLuis GonzalezTodd StottlemyreMatt Williams1999–2004, 2007–2008DodgersRoy CampanellaSandy KoufaxPee Wee ReeseDuke Snider1947–1956GiantsBarry BondsJuan MarichalWillie McCoveyMel Ott1951–1952, 1954–1972IndiansEarl AverillLarry DobyNap LajoieTris Speaker1936–1941, 1945–1956MarinersJay BuhnerEdgar MartínezJamie MoyerIchiro Suzuki1989–1999, 2009–2010MarlinsJosh BeckettLuis CastilloJeff ConineRobb Nen2003–2007MetsJohn FrancoTug McGrawMike PiazzaDarryl Strawberry1967–1977, 1983NationalsStaub and Carter were players for the former Montréal (QC) franchise that became the Nationals in 2005. Because of rules established, no former Washington Senator (before 1971) could have been nominated.Liván HernándezBrian SchneiderRusty StaubJosé Vidro1974–1984, 1992OriolesEddie MurrayJim PalmerBrooks RobinsonFrank Robinson1981–2001PadresBrian GilesTrevor HoffmanRandy JonesDave Winfield1982–2001PhilliesRichie AshburnSteve CarltonChuck KleinRobin Roberts1972–1989PiratesRalph KinerBill MazeroskiWillie StargellHonus Wagner1955–1972RangersRusty GreerIván RodríguezJim SundbergMark Teixeira1989–1993Red SoxRoger ClemensJim RiceCarl YastrzemskiCy Young1939–1942, 1946–1960RedsJohnny BenchJoe MorganTony PérezFrank Robinson1963–1978, 1984–1986RockiesDante BichetteVinny CastillaAndrés GalarragaTodd Helton1995–2004RoyalsAmos OtisBret SaberhagenMike SweeneyFrank White1973–1993TigersCharlie GehringerHank GreenbergAl KalineAlan Trammell1905–1926TwinsRod CarewKent HrbekHarmon KillebrewTony Oliva1984–1995White SoxLuke ApplingHarold BainesNellie FoxMinnie Miñoso1990–2005YankeesYogi BerraJoe DiMaggioLou GehrigMickey Mantle1920–1934

The "Hometown Heroes" panel Orestes Destrade (ESPN and XM Satellite Radio broadcaster) Steve Hirdt (Elias Sports Bureau Executive Vice President) Jerome Holtzman (Hall of Fame writers wing official MLB historian) Richard C. Levin (Yale University president) Dinn Mann (MLB.com editor-in-chief) Tim McCarver (Fox Sports broadcaster) Jose de Jesus Ortiz (Houston Chronicle writer) Harold Reynolds (ESPN broadcaster) Ken Shouler (historian and author) Claire Smith (The Philadelphia Inquirer assistant sports editor) Don Sutton (Washington Nationals broadcaster and Hall of Fame pitcher)

DHL Hometown Heroes

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