The Red Sox and Yankees may be fierce rivals on the field, but some things are bigger than sports.
Tuesday morning the Red Sox announced that Yankees left-hander Tim Hill is this year’s winner of the Tony Conigliaro Award, which honors a big leaguer who has overcome adversity “through the attributes of spirit, determination, and courage that were trademarks of Tony C.”
Hill is a colon cancer survivor who also lost his father to the disease.
“I am humbled and grateful to be recognized as this year’s recipient of the Tony Conigliaro Award,” Hill said. “Tony’s story is one of determination and resilience, two qualities I have always admired. One thing I’ve learned is that a little inspiration along with determination can go a long way. This award itself is a reminder that setbacks don’t have to define you. I’d like to thank the committee and the Conigliaro family for this award and for continuing to honor Tony’s legacy.”
Hill’s father died of colon cancer at the start of his sophomore year of high school in 2007, and during his first spring training after being selected in the 32nd round of the 2014 MLB Draft, Hill began experiencing symptoms as well. Testing revealed that Hill had both Lynch Syndrome, an inherited condition that increases the risk of certain cancers, as well as Stage 3 colon cancer.
Upon receiving his diagnosis Hill began undergoing radiation and chemotherapy, which lasted eight months and caused him to lose 70 pounds. Hill was declared cancer-free in 2016 and returned to baseball, eventually making his MLB debut in 2018.
Hill has since pitched eight seasons in the majors, posting a 3.84 ERA over 452 career appearances. This past year he made 70 appearances for the Yankees, posting a 3.09 ERA in the process.
Voting for the award was conducted by a 13-person committee including Red Sox officials, MLB executives, media members and a representative of the Conigliaro family. Hill received seven first-place votes, and others who earned consideration included Cleveland Guardians right-hander Nic Enright, Kansas City Royals right-hander Lucas Erceg, Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Isaac Mattson, St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yohel Pozo and Washington Nationals right-hander Cade Cavalli.