Major League Player of the Year Award by The Sporting News on Baseball Almanac

Major League Player of the Year Award by The Sporting News

The Sporting News is nothing short of the most respected and legendary magazine / newspaper in sports history. Their coverage of baseball has no rival and they are simply the most respected source of baseball statistics anywhere.

Listed below in chronological order are the players, including pitchers, chosen by The Sporting News as recipients of the Major League Player of the Year Award — an award given to the person who has the most outstanding season regardless of position or league.

"Forget that screwball." - Ty Cobb's advice to new rookie pitcher Carl Hubbell who was traded the next week for failing to listen

Major League Player of the Year Award by The Sporting News ©
Year	Name^(Quantity)	League	Team(s)	Position
1936	Carl Hubbell⁽¹⁾	NL	New York	P
1937	Johnny Allen⁽¹⁾	AL	Cleveland	P
1938	Johnny Vander Meer⁽¹⁾	NL	Cincinnati	P
1939	Joe DiMaggio⁽¹⁾	AL	New York	OF
1940	Bob Feller⁽¹⁾	AL	Cleveland	P
1941	Ted Williams⁽¹⁾	AL	Boston	OF
1942	Ted Williams^{( 2)}	AL	Boston	OF
1943	Spud Chandler⁽¹⁾	AL	New York	P
1944	Marty Marion⁽¹⁾	NL	St. Louis	SS
1945	Hal Newhouser⁽¹⁾	AL	Detroit	P
1946	Stan Musial⁽¹⁾	NL	St. Louis	1B
1947	Ted Williams^{( 3)}	AL	Boston	OF
1948	Lou Boudreau⁽¹⁾	AL	Cleveland	SS
1949	Ted Williams^{( 4)}	AL	Boston	OF
1950	Phil Rizzuto⁽¹⁾	AL	New York	SS
1951	Stan Musial^{( 2)}	NL	St. Louis	OF
1952	Robin Roberts⁽¹⁾	NL	Philadelphia	P
1953	Al Rosen⁽¹⁾	AL	Cleveland	3B
1954	Willie Mays⁽¹⁾	NL	New York	OF
1955	Duke Snider⁽¹⁾	NL	Brooklyn	OF
1956	Mickey Mantle⁽¹⁾	AL	New York	OF
1957	Ted Williams^{( 5)}	AL	Boston	OF
1958	Bob Turley⁽¹⁾	AL	New York	P
1959	Early Wynn⁽¹⁾	AL	Chicago	P
1960	Bill Mazeroski⁽¹⁾	NL	Pittsburgh	2B
1961	Roger Maris⁽¹⁾	AL	New York	OF
1962	Don Drysdale⁽¹⁾	NL	Los Angeles	P
1962	Maury Wills⁽¹⁾	NL	Los Angeles	SS
1963	Sandy Koufax⁽¹⁾	NL	Los Angeles	P
1964	Ken Boyer⁽¹⁾	NL	St. Louis	3B
1965	Sandy Koufax^{( 2)}	NL	Los Angeles	P
1966	Frank Robinson⁽¹⁾	AL	Baltimore	OF
1967	Carl Yastrzemski⁽¹⁾	AL	Boston	OF
1968	Denny McLain⁽¹⁾	AL	Detroit	P
1969	Willie McCovey⁽¹⁾	NL	San Francisco	1B
1970	Johnny Bench⁽¹⁾	NL	Cincinnati	C
1971	Joe Torre⁽¹⁾	NL	St. Louis	3B
1972	Billy Williams⁽¹⁾	NL	Chicago	OF
1973	Reggie Jackson⁽¹⁾	AL	Oakland	OF
1974	Lou Brock⁽¹⁾	NL	St. Louis	OF
1975	Joe Morgan⁽¹⁾	NL	Cincinnati	2B
1976	Joe Morgan^{( 2)}	NL	Cincinnati	2B
1977	Rod Carew⁽¹⁾	AL	Minnesota	1B
1978	Ron Guidry⁽¹⁾	AL	New York	P
1979	Willie Stargell⁽¹⁾	NL	Pittsburgh	1B
1980	George Brett⁽¹⁾	AL	Kansas City	3B
1981	Fernando Valenzuela⁽¹⁾	NL	Los Angeles	P
1982	Robin Yount⁽¹⁾	AL	Milwaukee	SS
1983	Cal Ripken, Jr.⁽¹⁾	AL	Baltimore	SS
1984	Ryne Sandberg⁽¹⁾	NL	Chicago	2B
1985	Don Mattingly⁽¹⁾	AL	New York	1B
1986	Roger Clemens⁽¹⁾	AL	Boston	P
1987	George Bell⁽¹⁾	AL	Toronto	OF
1988	Orel Hershiser⁽¹⁾	NL	Los Angeles	P
1989	Kevin Mitchell⁽¹⁾	NL	San Francisco	OF
1990	Barry Bonds⁽¹⁾	NL	Pittsburgh	OF
1991	Cal Ripken, Jr.⁽²⁾	AL	Baltimore	SS
1992	Gary Sheffield⁽¹⁾	NL	San Diego	OF
1993	Frank Thomas⁽¹⁾	AL	Chicago	1B
1994	Jeff Bagwell⁽¹⁾	NL	Houston	1B
1995	Albert Belle⁽¹⁾	AL	Cleveland	OF
1996	Alex Rodriguez⁽¹⁾	AL	Seattle	SS
1997	Ken Griffey, Jr.⁽¹⁾	AL	Seattle	OF
1998	Sammy Sosa⁽¹⁾	NL	Chicago	OF
1999	Rafael Palmeiro⁽¹⁾	AL	Texas	1B
2000	Carlos Delgado⁽¹⁾	AL	Toronto	1B
2001	Barry Bonds⁽²⁾	NL	San Francisco	OF
2002	Alex Rodriguez⁽²⁾	AL	Texas	SS
2003	Albert Pujols⁽¹⁾	NL	St. Louis	1B
2004	Barry Bonds⁽³⁾	NL	San Francisco	OF
2005	Andruw Jones⁽¹⁾	NL	Atlanta	OF
2006	Ryan Howard⁽¹⁾	NL	Philadelphia	1B
2007	Alex Rodriguez⁽³⁾	AL	New York	3B
2008	Albert Pujols⁽²⁾	NL	St. Louis	1B
2009	Albert Pujols⁽³⁾	NL	St. Louis	1B
2010	Josh Hamilton⁽¹⁾	AL	Texas	OF
2011	Not Yet Announced^(10-2011)	--	--	--
Year	Name^(Quantity)	League	Team(s)	Position
Major League Player of the Year Award

The Major League Player of the Year Award has been given out since the 1930s and only three players have ever won it during consecutive seasons — Ted Williams (1941 & 1942), Joe Morgan (1975 & 1976) and Albert Pujols (2008 & 2009).

Award distribution by position: twenty-five outfielders, seventeen pitchers, ten first baseman, nine shortstops, five third baseman, four second baseman and only one catcher.

Do you agree or disagree with The Sporting News recipients? Could they have chosen someone better? How about Mark McGwire versus Sammy Sosa, which one would you have chosen? Take a moment and share your opinion with fellow fans on our message boards.

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