The Willie Mac Award is named in honor of Willie McCovey. It has been presented annually since 1980 to the most inspirational player on the San Francisco Giants, as voted upon by Giants players, coaches, training staff, and more recently, Giants fans. [1] [2] McCovey personally presented the winner with the award in a pregame ceremony at AT&T Park near the conclusion of each season until his death on October 31, 2018.
Plaques with the names of each winner are placed in the ground surrounding the statue of Willie McCovey on the southern shore of China Basin, unofficially known as McCovey Cove.
Matt Duffy was the first rookie winner of the award.
The Hutch Award is for the "active player who best exemplifies the fighting spirit and competitive desire to win". Only Omar Vizquel and Dave Dravecky have won both the Willie Mac Award and the Hutch Award, although Willie McCovey won the Hutch Award in 1977.
Vizquel was a finalist in 2007 for the MLBPAA Heart & Hustle Award, which honors the player who "best embodies the values, spirit and tradition of the game".
Oracle Park is a baseball stadium in the SoMa district of San Francisco, California. Since 2000, it has served as the ballpark of Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants. Previously named Pacific Bell Park, SBC Park, and AT&T Park, the stadium's current name was purchased by the Oracle Corporation in 2019.
Omar Enrique Vizquel González, nicknamed "Little O", is a Venezuelan former professional baseball shortstop. During his 24-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, Vizquel played for the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, and Toronto Blue Jays. In Venezuela he played for Leones del Caracas. From 2014 to 2017, he was the Detroit Tigers' first-base, infield and baserunning coach. He was manager for the Toros de Tijuana of the Mexican League.
Brian R. Sabean, nicknamed "Sabes", is a baseball executive for the New York Yankees. He serves as executive advisor to the general manager and senior vice president Brian Cashman. Before coming to the Yankees, he was the executive vice president of baseball operations of the San Francisco Giants. He served as the team's general manager for eighteen seasons, from 1997 to 2014. He succeeded general manager Bob Quinn. The Giants had a winning record in thirteen of the eighteen seasons in which Sabean served as general manager. Prior to his tenure, the team had suffered losing seasons in five out of six years. He is a native of Concord, New Hampshire.
McCovey Cove is the unofficial name of a section of San Francisco Bay beyond the right field wall of Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, named after famed Giants first baseman Willie McCovey. The proper name for the cove is China Basin, which is the mouth of Mission Creek as it meets the bay. The cove is bounded along the north by Oracle Park, with a ferry landing and a breakwater at the northeast end. The southern shore is lined by China Basin Park and McCovey Point. To the east, it opens up to San Francisco Bay, while the west end of the cove is bounded by the Lefty O'Doul Bridge, named after San Francisco ballplayer and manager Lefty O'Doul.
James Houston Davenport was an American Major League Baseball infielder, primarily a third baseman, who played his entire career—over 1,500 games—with the San Francisco Giants (1958–1970). He also managed the Giants (1985), served as a coach for them for nine years over three different terms, and spent 51 years in all with the San Francisco organization. The right-handed batter and thrower, nicknamed "Peanut" or "Peanuts" as a child by his grandfather, was listed as 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) tall and 170 pounds (77 kg).
Ryan Andrew Vogelsong, nicknamed "Vogey", is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hanshin Tigers (2007–2008) and Orix Buffaloes (2009). He stands 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) tall and weighs 215 pounds (98 kg).
Matthew Thomas Cain is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career for the San Francisco Giants from 2005 to 2017. A two-time World Series champion and a three-time All-Star, he is widely regarded as a central figure of the Giants' success in the 2010s for his pitching and leadership.
Brian Patrick Wilson, nicknamed "The Beard" and "B-Weezy", is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers. He stands 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and weighs 205 pounds (93 kg). Wilson is known for his large black beard, which he began growing during the 2010 pennant race. Wilson's entrance at home games accompanied by the song "Jump Around" was popular with fans. Wilson also portrayed Peterson, a pitcher in the 2019 film Bottom of the 9th.
Gerald Dempsey "Buster" Posey III is an American former professional baseball catcher. He spent his entire twelve-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the San Francisco Giants, from 2009 until his retirement at the conclusion of the 2021 season. In September 2022, Posey joined the Giants' ownership group.
Pablo Emilio Sandoval Reyes is a Venezuelan-American professional baseball third baseman who is a free agent. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox, and Atlanta Braves. He stands 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) tall, and weighs 268 pounds (122 kg). Nicknamed "Kung Fu Panda", Sandoval is a two-time All-Star and has won three World Series championships with the Giants. He hit three home runs in Game 1 of the 2012 World Series, becoming the fourth player to hit three home runs in a World Series game, leading to his being named that year's World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP). During the offseason, Sandoval plays for the Navegantes del Magallanes of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (VPBL).
Conor Michael Gillaspie is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) third baseman who played for the San Francisco Giants, Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim between 2008 and 2017.
The 2009 San Francisco Giants season was the Giants' 127th year in Major League Baseball, their 52nd year in San Francisco since their move from New York following the 1957 season, and their 10th at AT&T Park. After four consecutive losing seasons, the team finished in third place in the National League West with an 88–74 record, 7 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. Following Peter Magowan's retirement, Bill Neukom served as general managing partner of the Giants. After a season with the fewest home runs of any team since the 1993 Florida Marlins, general manager Brian Sabean said the Giants would attempt to bring in a power hitter as well as strengthening a bullpen that held a 4.45 ERA in 2008, fourteenth in the National League.
George Nicholas Kontos is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Cleveland Indians. Prior to playing professionally, he played college baseball at Northwestern University. He bats and throws right-handed.
Brandon Kyle Belt, nicknamed "Baby Giraffe", "Sparky", and “Captain”, is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the San Francisco Giants.
Brandon Michael Crawford is an American professional baseball shortstop for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). Crawford played college baseball for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He was selected in the fourth round of the 2008 MLB draft by the Giants.
Joseph Matthew Panik is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants, New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, and Miami Marlins. Panik was an All-Star in 2015 and won a Gold Glove Award in 2016.
Christopher Lee Heston is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played college baseball for East Carolina University and played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants, the Seattle Mariners and the Minnesota Twins. On June 9, 2015, he threw the 17th no-hitter in Giants franchise history.
The 2014 San Francisco Giants season was the Giants' 132nd year in Major League Baseball, their 57th year in San Francisco since their move from New York following the 1957 season, and their 15th at AT&T Park. The Giants finished the season in second place in the National League West, but qualified for the playoffs and defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League Wild Card Game and the Washington Nationals in the National League Division Series. They defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Championship Series in five games and beat the Kansas City Royals in seven games in the 2014 World Series, their third World Series win in five years.
Matthew Michael Duffy, nicknamed "Duffman", is an American professional baseball third baseman for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the San Francisco Giants, Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Angels. He played college baseball at Long Beach State.
The 2015 San Francisco Giants season was the Giants' 133rd year in Major League Baseball, their 58th year in San Francisco since their move from New York following the 1957 season, and their 16th at AT&T Park. The team entered the season as the defending World Series champions and finished in second place in the NL West for the second straight year, but missed the playoffs with a record of 84–78 (.519).