What are the Silver Bat and Silver Slugger Team Awards?
Hillerich & Bradsby Co. bestows two different sets of awards for top sluggers each year: the Silver Bat and the Silver Slugger Team. The coveted Silver Bat is presented annually to the batting champions of the American and National Leagues. The award was first given to the Major League batting champs in 1949 – George Kell of the Detroit Tigers and Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Before that, the trophy was awarded to the Minor League batting champions from 1934 to 1948. At one time it was called the “Louisville Slugger Trophy”. Tony Gwynn has won eight Silver Bats, more than any other player. He won four in a row from 1994 to 1997. Rod Carew racked-up seven Silver Bats and Wade Boggs has five. Stan Musial, Roberto Clemente, and Bill Madlock are all four-time winners. George Brett holds the distinction of winning Silver Bats in three different decades: 1976, 1980 and 1990. The Silver Bat is sterling plated and weighs approximately 56 ounces. It is 34 inches long, and is engrave
