Pujols Selected top Hispanic Baseball Player of 2009 | 
Baseball’s Hispanic flavor is stronger than ever, with natives of Latin American countries dominating major and minor league rosters — and All-Star teams — across North America. Selecting from that large player base, Latin American sports network Premios Fox Sports named Albert Pujols as the top baseball player of 2009, as part of its seventh annual Athlete of the Year awards, which honor the contributions and accomplishments of U.S. Hispanic and Latin American athletes and personalities from the world of sports, on and off the field.
U.S. Open tennis champion Juan Martín del Potro of Argentina was selected the overall Athlete of the Year at Thursday’s awards show, which also selected winners in the following categories:
- Paralympics - Amalia Pérez Vázquez (Mexico)
- Boxing - Marcela “La Tigresa” Acuña (Argentina)
- Soccer Team – Estudiantes de la Plata (Argentina)
- Soccer Player – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
- Golf - Angel Cabrera (Argentina)
- Motorsports - Helio Castroneves (Brazil)
Pujols, who has won the National League Most Valuable Player award three times, including each of the last two seasons, had another monster year for St. Louis, slugging 47 home runs and driving in 135 runs while batting .327/.443/.658. The first baseman, who will turn 30 in January, also has five silver slugger and a gold glove award in his nine-year career with the Cardinals.
The live awards program from the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Fla., was preceded by two official Premios Fox Sports events benefiting the Ganley Foundation, a non-profit organization that seeks to raise awareness about depression and suicide. The Premios Fox Sports Golf Classic and the first annual Premios Fox Sports Poker Tournament were held on December 9 at Parkland Golf & Country Club and The Poker Room at Seminole Paradise, respectively.
In addition to several special mentions which recognized coaches, executives and other athletes for off-the-field accompishments, as well as fan selections for best international soccer goals, the network honored its inaugural Miss Premios Fox Sports. Billed as the first-ever sports themed pageant, the contest was won by Miss Ecuador, Alessia Andrade, who gained a spot on the Fox Sports en Español and Fox Sports Latin America’s team of on-air personalities and commentators.
Topics: Air Personalities, Albert Pujols, American Athletes, American Sports Network, Argentina Golf, Argentina Soccer Team, Athlete Of The Year, awards, Del Potro, Fan Selections, First Baseman, fox sports, Fox Sports Golf, Gold Glove Award, Helio Castroneves, Hispanic, La Tigresa, Latin American Countries, Latin American Sports, Lionel Messi Argentina, Minor League Rosters, Miss Ecuador, Parkland Golf, Premios Fox Sports, Seminole Hard Rock, Silver Slugger, Tennis Champion, U S Open Tennis
Latest Headlines
- Don Mattingly Joins Bob Salomon’s Epic Journey
- Tools Of The Trade: A Chat With Cubs’ Shiraz Rehman
- To The Farm: Addictions And Inspirations
- Our Mantle And Our Hope
- Dodgers Suitors Finding Out A Billion Dollars Isn’t What It Used To Be
- ‘Tex’ Talks Getting On Base, Yanks 2012 and Munson
- Q & A With San Francisco Giants Prospect Justin Fitzgerald
- Bike Spokes and Shoe Boxes – 2011 Topps Bowman Sterling NFL
- Time For Baseball To Truly Embrace Modern Fans
- MLB And Project Prospect Top 100
- Morrow’s Time
- Bike Spokes and Shoe Boxes – 2011 Topps Triple Threads NFL
- Baseball Places 16 in Sports Power 100
- Buehrle Launches Campaign To Repeal Miami Pit Bull Ban
- A Little Bit On The Wild Side With Padres Prospect Cody Decker
In The News
Bike Spokes and Shoe Boxes – 2011 Topps USA Baseball Box Set
Today, BS&SB looks at the 2011 Topps USA Baseball Box Set.
Bike Spokes and Shoe Boxes – 2011 Topps American Pie
After a mid-winter break, BS&SB returns with a look at 2011 Topps American Pie.
Michael Schlact Continues Baseball Career With Blue Crabs, Remains Positive
Pitcher Michael Schlact,26, has re-signed with the Atlantic League Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.
Prince Lands A King’s Ransom
The Detroit Tigers replaced injured Victor Martinez with one of the biggest bats in baseball.
Baseball Rep Firm Legacy Sports Group Merges with The Agency Sport Management
Legacy Sports Group (“Legacy”), a leading
[...] across a news item about a Hispanic sports awards ceremony last Thursday, which I reported on over at Baseball Digest. By all accounts it was a great event and helped benefit The Ganley Foundation, a worthy [...]