CINCINNATI—Even while competing for attention in a Winter Olympic year during which Canadian athletes won gold medals on home soil for the first time, Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto overcame the odds to become the Lou Marsh Award winner as 2010 Canadian athlete of the year.

The vote was announced in December. The award was officially presented on Saturday at Great American Ball Park to the Etobicoke native, reigning NL MVP and 2010 Hank Aaron Award winner by Toronto Star publisher John Cruickshank.

The timing of the presentation was significant. Votto’s father had been an important part of his life growing up. When his dad, Joe, passed away in August of 2008, young Joey took it hard. He battled bouts of clinical depression that put him on the disabled list and finally fought his way through it to become the player and the man he is today. With Sunday being Father’s Day, Votto reflected on what the Marsh award would have meant to his late father.

“He was more proud about the Canadian thing than probably about anything else,” Votto said. “I’m sure he’d be extremely proud. It would mean a lot to him and to be honest, with this award he would have wanted to have been here taking it in, see the award and share it with me.”

As the confident Votto shook hands with Cruickshank and began to walk off the field, he turned and said, “Thanks. I’ll be seeing you gentlemen again.”