Casey Award
けいしいしょう
Established in 1983. An American literary award (CASEY) given annually to the best baseball book of the year.
- Established
- 1983
- Organizer
- Spitball: The Literary Baseball Magazine
- Category
- Literature and General Literary Arts
- Selection Method
- Recommendation
- Target
- Professional
- Frequency
- 1 per year
- Status
- Active
Description
The CASEY (Casey Award) was established in 1983 by Mike Shannon and W. J. Harrison, editor and co-founder of Spitball magazine, and is awarded annually to the best baseball-related book of the year. Books on baseball, whether nonfiction or fiction, are eligible, and a panel of three judges evaluates nominees based on five main criteria: literary quality, informational content, analytical content, originality, and artistic appeal. After the shortlist is determined, the judges vote to select the work judged to make the 'greatest contribution to baseball literature,' and the award is announced at the CASEY Award Banquet held every January in Cincinnati. Previously, a bronze plaque was awarded, but since 2009, a Louisville Slugger bat has been presented.
Prize
- Main Prize
- Winners receive a memento (Louisville Slugger bat since 2009). Previously, a bronze plaque was awarded.
- Bronze Plaque (until 2009)
- Louisville Slugger Bat (since 2009)
- Honor and publishing recognition from winning
Selection
Selection Process
| Stage | Judges | Pass Rate | Announcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nomination | A panel of 3 judges selects nominees | — | Nominees selected through internal judging (announcement timing varies by year) |
| Shortlist Determination | Same as above (judge panel) | — | Shortlist may be announced on official site, magazine, etc. |
| Final Voting and Awarding | Same as above (judges conduct final vote) | — | Winner announced at CASEY Award Banquet (Cincinnati, every January) |
Criteria
- Literary quality
- Informational content
- Analytical content
- Originality
- Artistic appeal
Application Tips
Dos
- Write about baseball from a clear perspective, keeping the target audience in mind
- Enhance literary quality (writing quality)
- Present original perspectives or new analyses
- Carefully verify facts and sources to enrich informational content
- Perform thorough proofreading and editing before submission
Don''ts
- Submitting without sufficient fact-checking
- Merely listing statistics or data (lacking analysis or narrative)
- Ignoring application requirements or submission formats
From Judges
- Emphasize balance between literary quality and informational value
- Demonstrate originality (whether it offers new discoveries to readers)
- Aim for clear structure and expression that reaches a wide audience
Related Awards
- Seymour Medal (SABR)
- List of literary awards
- List of sports journalism awards