Bay honored as top Canadian player

12/02/2005
PITTSBURGH -- For the second time in as many seasons, Canadian-born Pittsburgh Pirates slugger Jason Bay has been chosen as his country's top baseball player.
On Friday, the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum named Bay as the 2005 winner of the Tip O'Neill Award. The award is presented each year to "the Canadian player judged to have excelled in individual achievement and team contribution while adhering to baseball's highest ideals."
Bay won the Tip O'Neill Award in 2004 after becoming the first Canadian and Pirates player to earn the Rookie of the Year Award. The Trail, B.C., native followed up his impressive rookie showing by leading the Pirates last season with a .306 batting average, 44 doubles, 32 home runs, 101 RBIs, 110 runs and 21 stolen bases, while becoming the first Canadian to appear in 162 games in a single season.
Bay also ranked among the top 10 hitters in the National League in batting average, runs, doubles, hits (183), walks (95), multihit games (54), total bases (335), on-base percentage (.402) and slugging percentage (.559).
"It's obviously nice to be recognized by your country," said Bay. "Most Canadians are very patriotic, and I'm no different."
Chicago Cubs closer Ryan Dempster was the runner-up in the 2005 Tip O'Neill Award voting, followed by Oakland A's starter Rich Harden, Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau and Colorado Rockies starter Jeff Francis.
Bay joins nine-time winner Larry Walker and two-time winner Eric Gagne as just the third multiple recipient of the Tip O'Neill Award, which is named in honor of the Woodstock, Ont., native who was among one of baseball's top starters in the late 19th century.

Source: http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/