The Hank Aaron Award was introduced in 1999, to honor the 25th Anniversary of Hank Aaron breaking Babe Ruth's all-time home run record. It was the first major award to be introduced in more than thirty years and it recognizes the best overall hitter in each league.
The Hank Aaron Award winner was originally selected using an objective points system. Hits, home runs, and runs batted in (RBI) were given certain point values and the winner was the player who had the highest tabulated points total.
In 2000, the Hank Aaron Award voting rules were changed to a ballot in which each MLB team's radio and television play-by-play broadcasters and color analysts voted for three players in each league. Their first place vote receives five points, the second place vote receives three points, and the third place vote receives one point.
Beginning in 2003, baseball fans were given the opportunity to vote via MLB.com. Fans' votes accounted for 30% of the points, while broadcasters' and analysts' votes accounted for the other 70%.
The 2004–2006 Hank Aaron Award was decided in three separate phases. In August fans voted at each Major League Baseball's official team site, choosing one off three players nominated by the respective franchise. The leading vote getter from each team became one of 30 finalists, from which a special Major League Baseball panel chose six finalists from each League. Online fan voting then determined the overall winner.
In 2007–2008, five finalists in each league were determined in fan balloting on MLB.com, from 30 club nominees selected by a special panel assembled by Major League Baseball and MLB.com. Online fan votes decided the overall winner.
For the 2009 Hank Aaron Award, fans selected both the finalists and the ultimate winners of the award. In September, fans voted for one finalist out of three nominees from each MLB Club. Once those 30 finalists were selected, fans voted for one American League and one National League winner, from September 16–30.
Since 2011, fans have voted for the recipients on MLB.com. Then a special panel, led by Hank Aaron himself, along with Roberto Alomar, Johnny Bench, Craig Biggio, Ken Griffey Jr., Eddie Murray and Robin Yount, determine the final recipients.
The Hank Aaron Award was physically handed out to the winners from both leagues before Game 4 of the World Series every year (Game 3 in 2018, Game 2 in 2019), with Aaron himself presenting the actual trophy. In 2020, that tradition ended and the off-season announcement became a MLB Network exclusive, with an on-field presentation the following year. Hank Aaron Award recipients appear below, in chronological order, as researched by Baseball Almanac.
"The pitcher has got only a ball. I've got a bat. So the percentage in weapons is in my favor and I let the fellow with the ball do the fretting." - Hall of Fame Outfielder Aaron, Hank. The Quotable American. Barnett, Alex. Lyons Press Publishing. Page 309.
Hank Aaron is — or once was — the all-time Major League leader in the following statistics: runs batted in, extra base hits, and home runs; yet is close to the bottom with inside the park home runs, as he had only one during his hall of fame career!
The 1999 Hank Aaron Award, which was the first ever in award history, was presented during the 1999 World Series, and as it happened, Baseball Almanac transcribed the entire historical press conference that day. Every year since, we've recorded its history, added new features to the research, and continue to preserve its history.
Hank Aaron played baseball for 23-years and he was the all time home run king, but did you know that he led the league in home runs "only" four times? Did you know that the Hank Aaron Award was the first "official" award named after a former player which was still living at the time the award was being presented?