Capps Medal
The Capps Medal is the medal awarded to the "best and fairest" player in the South Australian Baseball League during the regular season (i.e. not including finals matches) as decided upon by umpires. It is regarded as the most prestigious award for individual players in the league.[1] The medal was created and designed by Charles James Capps (best known as "Jim" Capps), who presented the medal up to the 1980/1981 season. He died in January 1985. Since the 1981/1982 season, the medal has been presented by his son, Dr. Roger Capps.
Voting Process
Under the current process, at the conclusion of each game the chief umpire awards 3 votes, 2 votes and 1 vote to the players they regard as the best, second best and third best in the match respectively.
On the awards night, the votes over the home and away (regular) season are tallied and the eligible player or players with the highest number of votes is awarded the medal.
Recipients
The first recipient of the Capps Medal was Charlie Puckett in 1936.
Fourteen recipients have won the Capps Medal on more than one occasion. Both Don Rice and Greg Elkson are five-time Capps Medalists.
| Year | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1936 | Charlie Puckett* | Prospect |
| 1937 | Clem Scott* | Goodwood |
| 1938 | Geff Noblet* | Glenelg |
| 1939 | Phil Brideoake* | West Torrens |
| 1940 | Fred Catt* | Sturt |
| 1941 | Garth Burton* | Kensington |
| 1946 | Jim Puckett* | Prospect |
| 1947 | Phil Brideoake* | West Torrens |
| 1948 | Phil Brideoake* | West Torrens |
| 1949 | Ian Leahy* | Prospect |
| 1950 | Barry Wiles* | Adelaide |
| 1951 | Bill Fuller | Kensington |
| 1952 | Doug Othams | University |
| 1953 | Colin Watts | Glenelg |
| 1954 | Des Vaughton* | Adelaide |
| 1955 | Phil Brideoake* | Glenelg |
| 1956 | Doug Othams | University |
| 1957 | Peter Box | Goodwood |
| 1958 | Peter Box | Goodwood |
| 1959 | Jim Tamlin | West Torrens |
| 1960 | Jim Cocks* | Sturt |
| 1961 | Don Rice* | Glenelg |
| 1962 | Don Rice* | Glenelg |
| 1963 | Don Rice* | Glenelg |
| 1964 | Ian Glover | Kensington |
| 1965 | Neil Davey | Port Adelaide |
| 1966 | Kevin Greatrex | Port Adelaide |
| 1967 | Don Rice* | Glenelg |
| 1968 | Don Rice*
David Hutton |
Glenelg |
| 1968/69 | Ron Chandler | Adelaide |
| 1969/70 | David McCloud | Goodwood |
| 1970/71 | Kevin Greatrex | Port Adelaide |
| 1971/72 | David Mundy | Port Adelaide |
| 1972/73 | Kevin Greatrex | Port Adelaide |
| 1973/74 | Neil Page
Les Behrendt |
Goodwood |
| 1974/75 | Colin Alexander | Glenelg |
| 1975/76 | Kevin Greatrex | Port Adelaide |
| 1976/77 | Don Masters | Northern Districts |
| 1977/78 | Mark Peters | Woodville |
| 1978/79 | Greg Elkson | Glenelg |
| 1979/80 | John Galloway | Woodville |
| 1980/81 | Gary Challen* | Henley & Grange |
| 1981/82 | Phil Alexander | Glenelg |
| 1982/83 | Greg Elkson | Glenelg |
| 1983/84 | Greg Elkson | Glenelg |
| 1984/85 | John Feichtner (i) | Kensington |
| 1985/86 | John Feichtner (i) | Kensington |
| 1986/87 | Tony Harris | Woodville |
| 1987/88 | Greg Elkson
Brian Farley (i) |
Goodwood |
| 1988/89 | Brian Farley (i)
Barry Lunnon |
Central Districts |
| 1989/90 | Greg Elkson | Goodwood |
| 1990/91 | Brian Cakebread | Port Adelaide |
| 1991/92 | Barry Lunnon | Sturt |
| 1992/93 | Barry Lunnon | Sturt |
| 1993/94 | Phil Burgess | West Torrens |
| 1994/95 | Russell Dart | Henley & Grange |
| 1995/96 | Ian Reval | Glenelg |
| 1996/97 | Mark Born | Port Adelaide |
| 1997/98 | Scott Marshall | Port Adelaide |
| 1998/99 | Scott Marshall | Port Adelaide |
| 1999/2000 | Craig Watts | Sturt |
| 2000/01 | John Challinor | Goodwood |
| 2001/02 | Ryan Simunsen | Adelaide |
| 2002/03 | Darren Fidge | Goodwood |
| 2003/04 | Darren Fidge | Goodwood |
| 2004/05 | John Challinor | Goodwood |
| 2005/06 | Darren Fidge | Goodwood |
| 2006/07 | Andrew Scott | West Torrens |
| 2007/08 | Michael Ewart | Kensington |
| 2008/09 | Tyler Levin (i) | East Torrens |
| 2009/10 | Daniel Wilson | Glenelg |
| 2010/11 | Todd Langman | Port Adelaide |
| 2011/12 | Nick Talbot | Kensington |
| 2012/13 | Nick Talbot | Kensington |
| 2013/14 | Andrew Davis (i) | Port Adelaide |
| 2014/15 | Nick Talbot | Kensington |
| 2015/16 | Wes Roemer (i) | Glenelg |
| 2016/17 | Dylan Brammer | Port Adelaide |
| 2017/18 | Dylan Brammer | Port Adelaide |
(i) = Import (Non-National)
(*) = Deceased player
References
- Baseball SA#Capps Medal