CUMBERLAND — J.R. Perdew has been attending the annual Dapper Dan awards banquet since he was a child — often times as a speaker, often times as an award winner, many more times as a spectator who is a big fan and supporter of all area sports.

The former Fort Hill High School and Allegany College of Maryland pitcher, who has spent the last 13 years serving as a pitching coach with the Chicago White Sox organization, will be in attendance again on Saturday, Jan. 31 when the 61st annual Dapper Dan Awards Banquet takes place at the Ali Ghan Shrine Club, although this year he’ll be sitting in on the event from a completely different perspective and in a completely different capacity.

For this year’s Dapper Dan program, Perdew will be the last man up, so to speak, as the recipient of the George W. Stevenson-Nicholas A. Perlozzo Memorial Award as the year’s top Dapper Dan award winner for bringing the most national recognition to the Cumberland area through athletics.

“Obviously, I am very honored,” Perdew said of receiving the area’s top athletic recognition. “I’m also a little embarrassed. I felt that on my own I never really did anything, but it’s wonderful to be honored by the Dapper Dans. It’s kind of a surprise. It’s really kind of a shock to me.”

Given the kind of behind-the-scenes work Perdew thrives on it should come as no surprise he would be surprised by this latest accolade. However, given his track record, not only in the White Sox organization for over a decade, but for what Perdew offers to young baseball players throughout the region, the only real surprise comes in the realization that this will be the first time he has been so honored.

As a member of the White Sox organization for the last 13 years Perdew has been to one World Series and four minor league championships with the club. During his coaching career he has helped 60 pitchers and 10 catchers reach the major leagues.

Perdew’s latest big-league product is lefthander Clayton Richard, who spent three-quarters of last season with the Double A Birmingham Barons, for whom Perdew will serve as pitching coach for the second straight season.

“We did well as a team (in 2008),” Perdew said. “We made the (Southern League) playoffs and we led the league in ERA. Clayton Richard reached the major leagues, and he pitched in the playoffs for the White Sox, going seven innings and giving up a run with Chicago.”

Richard, who was the back-up quarterback at the University of Michigan behind Chad Henne went to Triple A after his time in Birmingham before moving to Chicago, and is projected by the White Sox to be a starter this year.

“We won the staff ERA title, which was nice,” Perdew said. “We had five kids go to Triple A. Our closer John Link had 35 saves, and Justin Cassel won the ERA title.”

Justin Cassel, by the way, is the brother of New England Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel.

“We had a pretty good staff last year, so it was a good year; and a fun year.”

For Perdew, seeing his pitchers move on to the big leagues isn’t what provides him with the truest satisfaction for his job.

“Just the development of the players,” he said. “Anytime you can help a player go to the next level, you feel as though you’ve made an impact. Obviously, you want to get them to the big leagues, and that makes you feel good when it happens. But for the kids who aren’t that talented, just for them to improve means a lot.

“Ninety-eight percent of the kids you deal with will probably never play in the major leagues. But if you can help them have a few more years on their career and get to the next level it’s a great thing. Being able to help that one out of 10 or two out of 10 get to the big leagues is very gratifying.”

One of Perdew’s former pitchers is Ryan Sawyers, who has heeded Perdew’s pitching counsel since he was in the youth leagues. Sawyers has spent most of his life pursuing a living in baseball and has succeeded, having been named pitching coach at Purdue University last summer.

“I’ve always considered myself a protégé of J.R. Perdew,” Sawyers told the Times-News. “I had been a thrower until J.R. started working with me from about my Hot Stove League days.”

“It means a lot,” Perdew said when reminded of Sawyers’ comment. “Anytime somebody like that gives you some kind of recognition it means a lot. To receive some kind of respect from a friend, or a peer is a very nice compliment. It makes you feel great.”

For Dapper Dan banquet ticket information, call The Original Sports Shoppe at (301) 722-5490.