BOSTON -- Tampa Bay pitcher Dewon Brazelton, who bounced from home to home with a twin brother
who has cerebral palsy, will receive the Tony Conigliaro Award for
overcoming adversity through spirit, determination and courage.
The award is named for the promising Red Sox player whose career
essentially ended when he was hit in the face by a pitch in 1967.
Brazelton and his brother, Fewon, grew up in Tullahoma, Tenn., living in
four different homes. At 13, Dewon became involved with two local
churches and families in the community who helped nurture him.
He was a baseball star with a 3.4 GPA at Middle Tennessee State
University before being drafted by the Devil Rays with the third overall
selection in 2001. He made his major-league debut in 2002 and went 6-8
with a 4.77 ERA in 22 games last season.
At 20, Conigliaro became the youngest player to lead a major-league team
in home runs when he hit 32 in 1965. He reached 100 homers before his
23rd birthday.
But he was hit in the face by a pitch at Fenway Park on Aug. 18, 1967,
missed the entire 1968 season and his career never recovered. Conigliaro
died of a heart attack in 1990, and the Red Sox created the award in his
memory. Past winners include Jim Eisenreich, Jim Abbott, Bo Jackson,
Eric Davis and Bret Saberhagen.
Brazelton will receive the award at the annual dinner of the Boston
chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America on Jan. 13.
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