SPORTS

Toronto-born Reds first baseman wins Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame award

The Canadian Press Published Friday, December 4, 2015 10:54AM EST

Cincinnati Reds' Joey Votto hits a sacrifice fly off St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Kevin Siegrist to drive in Brennan Boesch in the seventh inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Text:

ST. MARYS, Ont. -- Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto has won the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame's Tip O'Neill Award for the fifth time in six years.

The hall presents the award annually to a Canadian player "judged to have excelled in individual achievement and team contribution while adhering to baseball's highest ideals."

Votto, from Toronto, had a comeback season in 2015 after being limited to just 62 games the previous year. He hit .314 and set new Canadian and Reds' single-season records for walks (143) and times on base (319). He also topped the National League in those categories and finished second in the NL in on-base percentage (.459), third in on-base plus slugging percentage (1.000) and fourth in slugging percentage (.541).

Votto staved off strong competition from Toronto Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin (Chelsea, Que.) and national women's team star Nicole Luchanski (Edmonton) to win the award.

"It is very humbling to be recognized again by the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame when there are so many deserving players," Votto said in a statement. "I have to thank the Baseball Hall of Fame for its efforts in promoting the players and our game in Canada."