Relief pitching didn't become a real specialty until after World War II. Even then, it was several years before every major-league team had relief specialists, commonly called "firemen."
In 1960, The Sporting News established its Fireman of the Year Award, to be given to the top relief pitcher in each league. Since 2001, it's been called the Reliever of the Year award.
A second major award for relief pitchers was established in 1976 by Rolaids, the antacid manufacturer. It's called the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award.
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| American League |
|---|
| Year | Player, Team |
|---|
| 1960 | Mike Fornieles, Boston
|
| 1961 | Luis Arroyo, New York
|
| 1962 | Dick Radatz, Boston |
| 1963 | Stu Miller, Baltimore
|
| 1964 | Dick Radatz, Boston |
| 1965 | Eddie Fisher, Chicago
|
| 1966 | Jack Aker, Kansas City
|
| 1967 | Minnie Rojas, California
|
| 1968 | Wilbur Wood, Chicago |
| 1969 | Ron Perranoski, Minnesota
|
| 1970 | Ron Perranoski, Minnesota
|
| 1971 | Ken Sanders, Milwaukee
|
| 1972 | Sparky Lyle, New York
|
| 1973 | John Hiller, Detroit |
| 1974 | Terry Forster. Chicago
|
| 1975 | Rich Gossage, Chicago
|
| 1976 | Bill Campbell, Minnesota
|
| 1977 | Bill Campbell, Boston
|
| 1978 | Rich Gossage, New York
|
| 1979 | Jim Kern, Texas |
| TIE | Mike Marshall, Minnesota
|
| 1980 | Dan Quisenberry, Kansas City
|
| 1981 | Rollie Fingers, Milwaukee
|
| 1982 | Dan Quisenberry, Kansas City
|
| 1983 | Dan Quisenberry, Kansas City
|
| 1984 | Dan Quisenberry, Kansas City
|
| 1985 | Dan Quisenberry, Kansas City
|
| 1986 | Dave Righetti, New York
|
| 1987 | Jeff Reardon, Minnesota
|
| TIE | Dave Righetti, New York
|
| 1988 | Dennis Eckersley, Oakland
|
| 1989 | Jeff Russell, Texas |
| 1990 | Bobby Thigpen, Chicago
|
| 1991 | Dennis Eckersley, Oakland
|
| TIE | Bryan Harvey, California
|
| 1992 | Dennis Eckersley, Oakland
|
| 1993 | Jeff Montgomery, Kansas City
|
| 1994 | Lee Smith, Baltimore |
| 1995 | Jose Mesa, Cleveland |
| 1996 | John Wetteland, New York
|
| 1997 | Mariano Rivera, New York
|
| 1998 | Tom Gordon, Boston |
| 1999 | Mariano Rivera, New York
|
| 2000 | Todd Jones, Detroit |
| 2001 | Mariano Rivera, New York |
| 2002 | Billy Koch, Oakland |
| 2003 | Keith Foulke, Oakland |
| 2003 | Mariano Rivera, New York |
| 2004 | Mariano Rivera, New York |
| 2005 | Mariano Rivera, New York
Joe Nathan, Minnesota |
| 2006 | Francisco Rodriguez, Los Angeles |
| 2007 | Joe Borowski, Cleveland |
| 2008 | Francisco Rodriguez, Los Angeles |
| 2009 | Mariano Rivera, New York |
| 2010 | Rafael Soriano, Tampa Bay |
| 2011 | Mariano Rivera, New York |
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| National League |
|---|
| Year | Player, Team |
|---|
| 1960 | Lindy McDaniel, St. Louis
|
| 1961 | Stu Miller, San Francisco
|
| 1962 | Roy Face, Pittsburgh |
| 1963 | Lindy McDaniel, Chicago
|
| 1964 | Al McBean, Pittsburgh
|
| 1965 | Ted Abernathy, Chicago
|
| 1966 | Phil Regan, Los Angeles
|
| 1967 | Ted Abernathy, Cincinnati
|
| 1968 | Phil Regan, Chicago |
| 1969 | Wayne Granger, Cincinnati
|
| 1970 | Wayne Granger, Cincinnati
|
| 1971 | Dave Giusti, Pittsburgh
|
| 1972 | Clay Carroll, Cincinnati
|
| 1973 | Mike Marshall, Montreal
|
| 1974 | Mike Marshall, Los Angeles
|
| 1975 | Al Hrabosky, St. Louis
|
| 1976 | Rawly Eastwick, Cincinnati
|
| 1977 | Rollie Fingers, San Diego
|
| 1978 | Rollie Fingers, San Diego
|
| 1979 | Bruce Sutter, Chicago
|
| 1980 | Rollie Fingers, San Diego
|
| TIE | Tom Hume, Cincinnati |
| 1981 | Bruce Sutter, St. Louis
|
| 1982 | Bruce Sutter, St. Louis
|
| 1983 | Al Holland, Philadelphia
|
| TIE | Lee Smith, Chicago |
| 1984 | Bruce Sutter, St. Louis
|
| 1985 | Jeff Reardon, Montreal
|
| 1986 | Todd Worrell, St. Louis
|
| 1987 | Steve Bedrosian, Philadelphia
|
| 1988 | John Franco, Cincinnati
|
| 1989 | Mark Davis, San Diego
|
| 1990 | John Franco, New York
|
| 1991 | Lee Smith, St. Louis |
| 1992 | Doug Jones, Houston |
| TIE | Lee Smith, St. Louis |
| 1993 | Randy Myers, Chicago |
| 1994 | John Franco, New York
|
| 1995 | Randy Myers, Chicago |
| 1996 | Trevor Hoffman, San Diego
|
| 1997 | Jeff Shaw, Cincinnati
|
| 1998 | Trevor Hoffman, San Diego
|
| 1999 | Ugueth Urbina, Montreal
|
| 2000 | Antonio Alfonseca, Florida
|
| 2001 | Robb Nen, San Francisco |
| TIE | Armando Benitez, New York |
| 2002 | John Smoltz, Atlanta |
| 2003 | Eric Gagne, Los Angeles |
| 2004 | Eric Gagne, Los Angeles |
| 2005 | Chad Cordero, Los Angeles |
| 2006 | Trevor Hoffman, San Diego |
| 2007 | Jose Valverde, Arizona |
| 2008 | Brad Lidge, Philadelphia |
| 2009 | Ryan Franklin, St. Louis |
| 2010 | Heath Bell, San Diego |
| 2011 | Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta |
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| American League |
|---|
| Year | Player, Team | Saves | ERA |
|---|
| 1976 | Bill Campbell, Minnesota | 20 | 3.01 |
| 1977 | Bill Campbell, Boston | 31 | 2.96 |
| 1978 | Rich Gossage, New York | 27 | 2.01 |
| 1979 | Jim Kern, Texas | 29 | 1.57 |
| 1980 | Dan Quisenberry, Kansas City | 33 | 3.09 |
| 1981 | Rollie Fingers, Milwaukee | 28 | 1.04 |
| 1982 | Dan Quisenberry, Kansas City | 35 | 2.57 |
| 1983 | Dan Quisenberry, Kansas City | 45 | 1.94 |
| 1984 | Dan Quisenberry, Kansas City | 44 | 2.64 |
| 1985 | Dan Quisenberry, Kansas City | 37 | 2.37 |
| 1986 | Dave Righetti, New York | 46 | 2.45 |
| 1987 | Dave Righetti, New York | 31 | 3.51 |
| 1988 | Dennis Eckersley, Oakland
| 45 | 2.35 |
| 1989 | Jeff Russell, Texas |
38 | 1.98 |
| 1990 | Bobby Thigpen, Chicago | 57 | 1.83 |
| 1991 | Bryan Harvey, California | 46 | 1.60 |
| 1992 | Dennis Eckersley, Oakland
| 51 | 1.91 |
| 1993 | Jeff Montgomery, Kansas City | 45 | 2.27 |
| 1994 | Lee Smith, Baltimore | 33 | 3.29 |
| 1995 | Jose Mesa, Cleveland | 46 | 1.13 |
| 1996 | John Wetteland, New York | 43 | 2.83 |
| 1997 | Randy Myers, Baltimore | 45 | 1.51 |
| 1998 | Tom Gordon, Boston | 46 | 2.72 |
| 1999 | Mariano Rivera, New York | 45 | 1.83 |
| 2000 | Todd Jones, Detroit | 42 | 3.52 |
| 2001 | Mariano Rivera, New York | 50 | 2.34 |
| 2002 | Billy Koch, Oakland | 44 | 3.27 |
| 2003 | Keith Foulke, Oakland | 43 | 2.08 |
| 2004 | Mariano Rivera, New York | 53 | 1.94 |
| 2005 | Mariano Rivera, New York | 43 | 1.38 |
| 2006 | Francisco Rodriguez, Los Angeles | 47 | 2.28 |
| 2007 | J. J. Putz, Seattle | 40 | 1.38 |
| 2008 | Francisco Rodriguez, Los Angeles | 62 | 2.24 |
| 2009 | Mariano Rivera, New York | 44 | 1.76
| | TIE | Joe Nathan, Minnesota | 47 | 2.10
|
| 2010 | Rafael Soriano, Tampa Bay | 45 | 1.73 |
| 2011 | Jose Valverde, Detroit | 49 | 2.24 |
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|
| National League |
|---|
| Year | Player, Team | Saves
| ERA |
|---|
| 1976 | Rawly Eastwick, Cincinnati | 26 | 2.09 |
| 1977 | Rollie Fingers, San Diego
| 35 | 2.99 |
| 1978 | Rollie Fingers, San Diego
| 37 | 2.52 |
| 1979 | Bruce Sutter, Chicago | 37 | 2.22 |
| 1980 | Rollie Fingers, San Diego
| 23 | 2.80 |
| 1981 | Bruce Sutter, St. Louis | 25 | 2.62 |
| 1982 | Bruce Sutter, St. Louis | 36 | 2.90 |
| 1983 | Al Holland, Philadelphia | 25 | 2.26 |
| 1984 | Bruce Sutter, St. Louis | 45 | 1.54 |
| 1985 | Jeff Reardon, Montreal
| 41 | 3.18 |
| 1986 | Todd Worrell, St. Louis | 36 | 2.08 |
| 1987 | Steve Bedrosian, Philadelphia
| 40 | 2.83 |
| 1988 | John Franco, Cincinnati
| 39 | 1.57 |
| 1989 | Mark Davis, San Diego
| 44 | 1.85 |
| 1990 | John Franco, New York
| 33 | 2.53 |
| 1991 | Lee Smith, St. Louis | 47 | 2.34 |
| 1992 | Lee Smith, St. Louis | 43 | 3.12 |
| 1993 | Randy Myers, Chicago | 53 | 3.11 |
| 1994 | Rod Beck, San Francisco | 28 | 2.77 |
| 1995 | Tom Henke, St. Louis | 36 | 1.82 |
| 1996 | Jeff Brantley, Cincinnati | 44 | 2.41 |
| 1997 | Jeff Shaw, Cincinnati | 42 | 2.38 |
| 1998 | Trevor Hoffman, San Diego | 53 | 1.48 |
| 1999 | Billy Wagner, Houston | 39 | 1.57 |
| 2000 | Antonio Alfonseca, Florida | 45 | 4.24 |
| 2001 | Armando Benitez, New York | 43 | 3.77 |
| 2002 | John Smoltz, Atlanta | 55 | 3.25 |
| 2003 | Eric Gagne, Los Angeles | 55 | 1.20 |
| 2004 | Eric Gagne, Los Angeles | 45 | 2.19 |
| 2005 | Chad Cordero, Washington | 47 | 1.82 |
| 2006 | Trevor Hoffman, San Diego | 46 | 2.14 |
| 2007 | Jose Valverde, Arizona | 47 | 2.66 |
| 2008 | Brad Lidge, Philadelphia | 41 | 2.95 |
| 2009 | Heath Bell, San Diego | 42 | 2.71 |
| 2010 | Heath Bell, San Diego | 47 | 1.93 |
| 2011 | John Axford, Milwaukee | 71 | 2.26 |
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This page last updated Friday, 09-Dec-2011 14:55:29 EST
http://www.hickoksports.com/history/reliefaward.shtml
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