The Sterling Award was an award given to the top player, or players, in the New York Mets

New York Mets

The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...

 organization at each level of the minor leagues, emblematic of the team's Most Valuable Player. The award was called the Doubleday Award in honor of former Mets co-owner Nelson Doubleday, Jr.

Nelson Doubleday, Jr.

Nelson Doubleday, Jr. was the president of Doubleday. He was instrumental in the company's purchase of the New York Mets in 1980. He served as chairman of the Mets' board during the team's rise to its 1986 World Series title. In 1986, he and Fred Wilpon bought the team from the publishing company...

. When Doubleday sold his shares of the team to fellow co-owner Fred Wilpon

Fred Wilpon

Fred Wilpon is a real estate developer, baseball executive and the majority owner of the New York Mets.-Biography:...

, the name of the award was changed to the Sterling Silver Award.