Bruce named winner of Len Eshmont Award

Soft-spoken receiver Isaac Bruce was announced as the winner of the Len Eshmont Award today, this team’s most prestigious honor.

The other award winners were:

 

Bill Walsh Award: defensive end Justin Smith

Bobb McKittrick Award: center Eric Heitmann

Hazeltine/Iron Man Award: linebacker Takeo Spikes

Thomas Herrion Memorial Award: receiver Dominique Zeigler

 

The Eshmont Award, voted on by the players, is given annually to the 49ers player who best exemplifies the inspirational and courageous play of Eshmont, an original member of the 49ers from the 1946 team.

 

The Bill Walsh Award, voted on by coaches, is given to the 49ers team MVP.

 

The Bobb McKittrick Award is given annually to the 49ers offensive lineman who best represents the courage, intensity and sacrifice displayed by McKittrick, who served as a 49ers assistant for 21 years. (Heitmann is the winner for the third straight season.)

 

The Hazeltine is named for Matt Hazeltine, who played 13 seasons for the 49ers. The award is given annually to the most courageous and inspirational defensive player.

 

And the Thomas Herrion Award is given to the rookie or first-year player who has taken advantage of every opportunity, turned it into a positive situation and made their dream turn into reality.

 

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Preliminary injury report

Not expected to practice: RB Frank Gore (ankle), RT Adam Snyder (ankle), S Michael Lewis (abdomen) and CB Walt Harris (rest). Coach Mike Singletary said that they’d monitor Gore’s progress day to day, and he hopes he’ll be available.

Limited practice: LT Joe Staley (ankle).

Full practice: RS Allen Rossum (ankle)

 

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Tying up loose ends: On that final play against the Dolphins, running back Michael Robinson was split out wide to the right. When I watched the TV copy of the tape, I had assumed it was Dominique Zeigler. However, Zeigler was not on the field. There were four WRs on the field: Isaac Bruce, Bryant Johnson, Jason Hill and Josh Morgan.

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