Hunter Pence named 2013 "Willie Mac" Award winner

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - San Francisco Giants outfielder Hunter Pence was selected as the winner of the 2013 "Willie Mac" Award, the club announced today.

The Willie McCovey Award is an annual honor bestowed upon the most inspirational player on the team, as voted upon by Giants players, coaches, training staff and the fans.

The award was established in 1980, in honor of former legend and Hall of Famer Willie McCovey. Pence will receive a plaque prior to tonight's game. Engraved on the plaque are the words "Competitive Spirit, Ability and Leadership" to characterize the qualities both McCovey and Pence exemplify.

Pence has batted .282 (174-for-617) with 35 doubles, 25 home runs, 93 RBI and has stolen 22 bases in 159 games in his second season in a Giants uniform. The 25 home runs match the most of his career for a single season and he's seven RBI shy of reaching the 100-plateau for the second straight campaign. The 30-year-old Texas native has batted .313 (76-for-243) with 11 home runs and 45 RBI in 65 games since the All-Star break.

Pence has started every one of the Giants' 159 games this season and could become the first Giants player in the SF-era (since 1958) to start every regular season game in a season, and the first since Alvin Dark started all 154 games for the New York Giants in 1954. Pence can also become the first Giants player since Bobby Thomson to start every game of a season in the outfield. Thomson started all 156 games in center field during the 1949 season for the New York Giants. Pence has started 168 consecutive games, the longest streak in the NL and the second longest in the Majors.