IN PHOTOS: Georgia baseball star Charlie Condon enjoys 2024 Golden Spikes Award "signature moments" in Omaha
Georgia superstar Charlie Condon enjoyed his signature moment at the Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Nebraska after winning the Golden Spikes Award on Saturday.
The six-foot-six utility player sat with finalists Hagen Smith of Arkansas and Travis Bazzana of Oregon State and signed autographs for the fans, who were also present for Game 1 of the College World Series final between Texas A&M and Tennessee.
Condon led the nation in home runs (37), batting average (.433), total bases (233), slugging percentage (1.009), and on-base plus slugging percentage (1.565) this season. That was enough to edge Bazzana and Smith for the annual award for the best amateur player in the United States. He was also in the top six nationally in on-base percentage (.556) and runs scored (84).
Condon paid tribute to the Bulldogs organization, from the coaching staff, players, managers, and other university personnel who helped him during the season. Condon, who became the first Georgia player to win the award, said:
"I share this with everybody that was part of this historic season. It's a start of something new for Georgia Baseball. I'm real excited to bring this back to Athens for the first time."
Charlie Condon joins other MLB greats in winning the Golden Spikes Award
Condon, who is tabbed by MLB mock drafts of sports websites to be a top-two pick, joined the likes of past and present MLB stars Bryce Harper, Kris Bryant, Buster Posey, Tim Lincecum, David Price, Stephen Strasburg, and Jered Weaver as the players who won the Golden Spikes Award.
Last season, LSU outfielder Dylan Crews won the award and was picked No. 2 overall by the Washington Nationals in the MLB draft.
Condon also gained the Dick Howser Trophy as college baseball's national player of the year. He was the first Bulldog to win the award.
The winner of the Golden Spikes Award is selected through voting from fans, national baseball media, select professional baseball personnel, USA Baseball staff, and previous winners.
Georgia coach Wes Johnson expressed delight in Condon being chosen as the Golden Spikes winner. He compared the achievement to winning the national championship.
"For him to win the Golden Spikes Award, he will have that for the rest of his life, and it's something for Georgia that we can talk about and recruit with that no other team can this year. It's like winning the national title. There's only one national champion, there's only one Golden Spikes winner, and I'm proud it's Charlie Condon," Johnson said.
Charlie Condon helped Georgia to a 43-17 (17-13 in SEC) record this season, good for seventh seed in the NCAA Division I men's baseball tournament. However, the Bulldogs were ousted in the super regional by No. 10 seed North Carolina State for the eighth and last ticket in the College World Series.