Texas Tech University Athletics
Bard Named Rotary Smith Semifinalist
June 21, 1999 | Baseball
May 7, 1999
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech junior All America catcher Josh Bard has been selected one of 12 national semifinalists for the Rotary Smith Award, honoring college baseball's top player.
The award is a national project of the Rotary Club of Houston which raises money for Rotary national charities, Texas Children's Hospital and the Karl Young League. Six previous winners of the award are currently playing major league baseball - 1988 winner Andy Benes of Evansville (Arizona Diamondbacks), 1991 winner Bobby Jones of Fresno State (New York Mets), 1993 winner Darren Dreifort of Wichita State (Los Angeles Dodgers), 1994 winner Jason Varitek of Georgia Tech (Boston Red Sox), 1995 winner Mark Kotsay of Cal.-State Fullerton (Florida Marlins) and 1996 winner Kris Benson of Clemson (Pittsburgh). The honor has been awarded for the past 12 years.
SID's will now cut the list from the 12 semifinalists to 3 finalists in the next stage of balloting within the next month. The final voting stage, to pick the 1999 winner, will end following the conclusion of this year's College World Series (June 11-19). The winner will be named at a dinner at the Doubletree-Post Oak Hotel in Houston the evening of Monday, June 28. For more information on this year's Rotary Smith Award, call Twin Spin Design at (713) 667-8101 or check out the award's website at http://smithaward.collegesportsnews.com. For ticketing information, please call the Rotary Club of Houston at (713) 973-9936.
Bard is currently hitting .357 (71-199) with 10 home runs, 25 doubles and 79 runs batted in.
1999 ROTARY SMITH AWARD SEMIFINALISTS PLAYER SCHOOL POS. YR. HOMETOWN STATISTICS/NOTES JOSH BARD Texas Tech C Jr. Englewood, CO (.357, 10 HR, 79 RBI, 25 2B) ANDREW BEINBRINK Arizona State IF/OF Sr. San Diego, CA (.409, 13 HR, 80 RBI) TAGGERT BOZIED San Francisco 1B/3B So. Arvada, CO (.406. 26 HR, 72 RBI - 2nd in nation in HR) MATT DIAZ Florida State OF So. Lakeland, FL (.414, 15-67) CASEY FOSSUM Texas A&M P Jr. Waco, TX (8-5, 3.45 ERA, 121 K in 91.1 IP) KEN HARVEY Nebraska 1B Jr. Los Angeles, CA (.491, 19-64, leads country in batting) BOBBY HILL Miami, FL SS Jr. San Jose, CA (.395, 9-24, 42 SB, Miami career SB leader) JASON JENNINGS Baylor P/DH Jr. Mesquite, TX (.377, 15-52; 10-1, 2.45 ERA, 132 K) ERIC MUNSON USC C Jr. San Diego, CA (.308, 10-32) MARIO RAMOS Rice P Jr. Pflugerville, TX(11-1, 2.22 ERA, 113 K in 117.1 IP) ALEX SANTOS Miami, FL P Jr. Lake Worth, FL (8-3, 3.34 ERA, 113 K's in 86.1 IP) DAMON THAMES Rice SS Sr. Humble, TX (.388, 7-51)--TTU--
