The McKamey/Holmes Award is awarded to an adult who volunteers a great deal of time and energy to Little League; a person who, by example, teaches the children in the community the values of sportsmanship, team play, and respect for their peers.
The McKamey Award was established in 1959 to honor a young boy who was tragically taken from us at the age of nine, the victim of a boating accident. Stephen McKamey was a Zionsville Little League player with a great passion for the game. Steve loved Zionsville and baseball. Most summer days found him at Lion’s Park playing baseball.
When the award was first established, it was given to ball players best representing the values of Little League: sportsmanship, mental attitude, trust and respect. However, within a few years it was discovered that by Little League rules, an award such as this could not be given to an individual player.
The award went into a period of dormancy until 1978, when it was revived in a new form: from that point on the award was to be bestowed upon an adult who volunteers a great deal of time and energy to Little League; a person who, by example, teaches the children in the community the values of sportsmanship, team play, and respect for their peers.
Since 1978, there have been recipients of the award nearly every year, and in some years more than one recipient has been named.
In 2002, The Zionsville Little League Board deviated slightly from the normal pattern of naming a current active adult as the recipient of the award, and posthumously named Floyd Caldwell as the recipient. Mr. Caldwell was one of the original charter members of Zionsville Little League, and passed away shortly before he was named the recipient of the award.
In 2005, the Zionsville Little League Board voted unanimously to once again deviate from conferring the award on an adult volunteer by posthumously honoring a young boy named Kristopher “Kritter” Holmes, who died in a farm-related accident in the early 1990’s. “Kritter,” like Stephen McKamey, was an avid baseball lover. He could be found in the park during warm weather either playing baseball or helping his parents with maintenance chores in the park.
Also in 2005, with approval of both the McKamey family and the Holmes family, the name of the award was changed to the McKamey/Holmes Award.
Past Winners
- Harry Koch
- Andy VanZee – 2023
- Isabella Strecker – 2022
- Ashley Alexander -2021
- Andy Smalls – 2020
- Mike Rinebold – 2019
- Randy Judd – 2018
- John Busse – 2017
- Bernie Paul – 2016
- Marc Lynn – 2015
- John Chamberlain – 2014
- Stan Pinegar – 2013
- Troy Hobick – 2012
- Terry McCain – 2011
- Bob and Trina Glenn – 2010
- Brad Redman – 2009
- Charlie Fahrner – 2008
- Chuck Keraga – 2007
- Janet King – 2006
- Kristopher “Kritter” Holmes – 2005
- Bob Walters – 2004
- Kevin and Michele McAndrews – 2003
- Floyd Caldwell – 2002
- Dyke Wilson – 2001
- Evan Nelms – 2000
- Jim Donahue – 1999
- Lynn Wall – 1998
- Kerry Wagoner – 1998
- Tom Wills – 1997
- Garett Twardy – 1996
- Jim Metzler – 1995
- John & Mary Lu Williams – 1994
- Jeff Holmes – 1993
- Christine & John Krejci- 1992
- Anita Brummett – 1990
- Mark & Phil Moore- 1989
- Ron Schulte – 1986
- Domenic Angelicchio – 1985
- Pete Paddock – 1984
- Jerrit Clayton – 1983
- Betty Ford – 1982
- Nick Van Slooten – 1981
- David Heinzman – 1980
- Russ Oden – 1979
- Art Lear – 1978
- Ricky Pearson – 1961
- Danny Hoover – 1960
- Shannon Marshall – 1959
- Brent Landers – 1959