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. Research by Baseball Almanac.
"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 Awardby The Sporting News © |
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Year | Name (Qty) | LG | Team(s) | POS |
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 |
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 | Justin Verlander (1) | AL | Detroit | P |
2012 | Miguel Cabrera (1) | AL | Detroit | 3B |
2013 | Miguel Cabrera (2) | AL | Detroit | 3B |
2014 | Clayton Kershaw (1) | NL | Los Angeles | P |
2015 | Josh Donaldson (1) | AL | Toronto | 3B |
2016 | Jose Altuve (1) | AL | Houston | 2B |
2017 | Jose Altuve (2) | AL | Houston | 2B |
2018 | Mookie Betts (1) | AL | Boston | OF |
2019 | Mike Trout (1) | AL | Los Angeles | OF |
2020 | Jose Abreu (1) | AL | Chicago | 1B |
2021 | Shohei Ohtani (1) | AL | Los Angeles | P / DH |
2022 | Aaron Judge (1) | AL | New York | OF |
2023 | Ronald Acuña (1) | NL | Atlanta | RF |
2024 | Not Yet Awarded (10-2024) | -- | -- | -- |
Year | Name (Qty) | LG | Team(s) | POS |
MLB Player of the Year Award | Baseball Awards |
The Major League Player of the Year Award, by The Sporting News, has been given out since the late 1930s and only five players have won it during consecutive seasons — Ted Williams (1941 & 1942), Joe Morgan (1975 & 1976), Albert Pujols (2008 & 2009), Miguel Cabrera (2012 & 2013), and Jose Altuve (2016 & 2017).
Award distribution by position for the Sporting News Major League Player of the Year Award: twenty-six outfielders, nineteen pitchers, eleven first baseman, nine shortstops, seven third baseman, six second baseman, and only one catcher. Then in 2021, an even rarer position, a pitcher / designated hitter (Shohei Ohtani)!
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? Share your opinion with us on our Baseball Almanac Facebook Group, on Baseball Almanac Twitter, via Baseball Almanac Messenger, or our baseball forum — Baseball Fever.