The Willow Glen Resident Simmons tops list of Hot Stove winners Bay Area broadcaster to be honored at baseball banquet By Dick Sparrer "It's way back, way back, way back... tell it good-bye!" The home run call has become a Bay Area classic... its author, a Bay Area legend. And that legendary sports broadcaster, Lon Simmons, will be the honored guest when Santa Clara Valley baseball community gathers for the 15th annual Hot Stove Banquet. Simmons will top the list of 10 award winners at the Hot Stove Banquet on Feb. 1 at Lou's Village on San Carlos Street in San Jose. The veteran broadcaster is the winner of this year's service award. Anthony Telford of the Montreal Expos has been selected as the Player of the Year and Randy Winn of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays the Rookie of the Year, and the two will be presented their awards along with Simmons at the annual banquet. The Hot Stove series nearly came to an end when longtime organizers decided it was time to set it aside. But California League President Joe Gagliardi came forward to save the program. "He stepped in and agreed to take it over," said former Santa Clara University coach John Oldham, who now works with Gagliardi in the California League front office in San Jose. "It has always been very good," said Oldham of the Hot Stove event, "but we're trying to make it even better." Tickets for the night's event are priced at $35 ($350 for a reserved table for 10), and festivities will begin with no-host cocktails at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. The awards presentation begins at 8 p.m. with area sports broadcaster Ted Robinson serving as the master of ceremonies. Proceeds from the banquet benefit youth baseball programs in the area. For more information or reservations call 446-3443. Lon Simmons began his Bay Area broadcasting career when the Giants moved to San Francisco from New York in 1958. He teamed with another broadcasting legend, Russ Hodges, to call the play-by-play for the Giants on TV and radio. Now, 40 years later, Simmons is back in the Giants broadcasting booth after working for a period in the booth for the Oakland A's. He was also the voice of the San Francisco 49ers for many years. Telford, who starred locally at Silver Creek High School and San Jose State University, will be named the Hot Stove Player of the Year after an outstanding 1998 season as a pitcher for the Expos. Winn, a Devil Rays outfielder who was a star outfielder at Santa Clara University, is the Hot Stove Rookie of the Year. Joining Telford and Winn as players on the awards list are college player of the year-- Bill Mott of Santa Clara University; college pitcher of the year-- Javier Pamus of San Jose State; community college player of the year-- Vince LaCorte of Gavilan; high school player of the year-- Mike Rouse of Valley Christian; and minor league player of the year-- Mike Frank of the Cincinnati Reds organization (a former outfielder at Santa Clara University). Todd Hughes of Santa Clara University is the winner of this year's Lloyd Christopher Award, a scholarship given annually in the name of the late major league player. Special recognition will also be given to Giuseppe Chiaramonte and the California League champion San Jose Giants. Chiaramonte was an all-star catcher for the Giants. Wayne Morgan, a longtime scout for the Toronto Blue Jays, will receive the Hot Stove Scout of the Year award. Among the presenters at the banquet will be Santa Clara University coach Mike Cummins, San Jose State coach Sam Piraro, former San Jose State coach Gene Menges and Harry Stevranos of the San Jose Giants. Past Hot Stove honorees include current major leaguers Ken Caminiti (Leigh), Scott Erickson (Homestead), Mark Langston (Buchser) and Dave Stieb (Oak Grove). Other local high school talents who are among past Hot Stove winners are Ed Giovanola (Bellarmine), Pat Burrell (Bellarmine), Ryan Hancock (Monta Vista), Troy Buckley (Bellarmine), Jason Hardtke (Leland), Brent Hahn (Westmont), Dan Gladden (Westmont), Dave Righetti (Pioneer) and Carney Lansford (Wilcox). Veteran Los Gatos baseball coach Joe Winstead is a former Hot Stove special award winner. [ Back to Contents Page | Willow Glen Resident Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Willow Glen Resident, January 27, 1999. ©1999 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.