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 chosen by The Sporting News as recipients of the TSN Player of the Year Award. From 1944 until 1991, The Sporting News awarded this to one player from each league then gave an award to the Major League Player of the Year.
NOTE: In 1991, The Sporting News discontinued this award in favor of the Major League Player of the Year Award.
"Although he played in the shadow of players like Ted Williams and Jimmie Foxx, Bobby Doerr has to be considered one of the greatest Red Sox players ever." - Boston Red Sox Website
Player of the Year Awardby The Sporting News |
||||||
Year | American League | Team | POS | National League | Team | POS |
1944 | Bobby Doerr | Boston | 2B | Marty Marion | St. Louis | SS |
1945 | Eddie Mayo | Detroit | 2B | Tommy Holmes | Boston | OF |
1946 | No Selection | WWII | n/a | No Selection | WWII | n/a |
1947 | No Selection | WWII | n/a | No Selection | WWII | n/a |
1948 | Lou Boudreau | Cleveland | SS | Stan Musial | St. Louis | OF |
1949 | Ted Williams | Boston | OF | Enos Slaughter | St. Louis | OF |
1950 | Phil Rizzuto | New York | SS | Ralph Kiner | Pittsburgh | OF |
1951 | Ferris Fain | Philadelphia | 1B | Stan Musial | St. Louis | OF |
1952 | Luke Easter | Cleveland | 1B | Hank Sauer | Chicago | OF |
1953 | Al Rosen | Cleveland | 3B | Roy Campanella | Brooklyn | C |
1954 | Bobby Avila | Cleveland | 2B | Willie Mays | New York | OF |
1955 | Al Kaline | Detroit | OF | Duke Snider | Brooklyn | OF |
1956 | Mickey Mantle | New York | OF | Hank Aaron | Milwaukee | OF |
1957 | Ted Williams | Boston | OF | Stan Musial | St. Louis | 1B |
1958 | Jackie Jensen | Boston | OF | Ernie Banks | Chicago | SS |
1959 | Nellie Fox | Chicago | 2B | Ernie Banks | Chicago | SS |
1960 | Roger Maris | New York | OF | Dick Groat | Pittsburgh | OF |
1961 | Roger Maris | New York | OF | Frank Robinson | Cincinnati | OF |
1962 | Mickey Mantle | New York | OF | Maury Wills | Los Angeles | SS |
1963 | Al Kaline | Detroit | OF | Hank Aaron | Milwaukee | OF |
1964 | Brooks Robinson | Baltimore | 3B | Ken Boyer | St. Louis | 3B |
1965 | Tony Oliva | Minnesota | OF | Willie Mays | San Francisco | OF |
1966 | Frank Robinson | Baltimore | OF | Roberto Clemente | Pittsburgh | OF |
1967 | Carl Yastrzemski | Boston | OF | Orlando Cepeda | St. Louis | 1B |
1968 | Ken Harrelson | Boston | OF | Pete Rose | Cincinnati | OF |
1969 | Harmon Killebrew | Minnesota | 3B | Willie McCovey | San Francisco | 1B |
1970 | Harmon Killebrew | Minnesota | 3B | Johnny Bench | Cincinnati | C |
1971 | Tony Oliva | Minnesota | OF | Joe Torre | St. Louis | 3B |
1972 | Dick Allen | Chicago | 1B | Billy Williams | Chicago | OF |
1973 | Reggie Jackson | Oakland | OF | Bobby Bonds | San Francisco | OF |
1974 | Jeff Burroughs | Texas | OF | Lou Brock | St. Louis | OF |
1975 | Fred Lynn | Boston | OF | Joe Morgan | Cincinnati | 2B |
1976 | Thurman Munson | New York | C | George Foster | Cincinnati | OF |
1977 | Rod Carew | Minnesota | 1B | George Foster | Cincinnati | OF |
1978 | Jim Rice | Boston | OF | Dave Parker | Pittsburgh | OF |
1979 | Don Baylor | California | OF | Keith Hernandez | St. Louis | 1B |
1980 | George Brett | Kansas City | 3B | Mike Schmidt | Philadelphia | 3B |
1981 | Tony Armas | Oakland | OF | Andre Dawson | Montreal | OF |
1982 | Robin Yount | Milwaukee | SS | Dale Murphy | Atlanta | OF |
1983 | Cal Ripken, Jr. | Baltimore | SS | Dale Murphy | Atlanta | OF |
1984 | Don Mattingly | New York | 1B | Ryne Sandberg | Chicago | 2B |
1985 | Don Mattingly | New York | 1B | Willie McGee | St. Louis | OF |
1986 | Don Mattingly | New York | 1B | Mike Schmidt | Philadelphia | 3B |
1987 | George Bell | Toronto | OF | Andre Dawson | Chicago | OF |
1988 | Jose Canseco | Oakland | OF | Andy Van Slyke | Pittsburgh | OF |
1989 | Ruben Sierra | Texas | OF | Kevin Mitchell | San Francisco | OF |
1990 | Cecil Fielder | Detroit | 1B | Barry Bonds | Pittsburgh | OF |
1991 | Cal Ripken, Jr. | Baltimore | SS | Barry Bonds | Pittsburgh | OF |
1992 | Award Discontinued | n/a | -- | Award Discontinued | n/a | -- |
Year | American League | Team | POS | National League | Team | POS |
Player of the Year Award | Baseball Awards Menu |
In 1975, Fred Lynn won The Sporting News Player of the Year Award and is the only American League player who also won The Sporting News Rookie Player of the Year Award.
During the history of this award Harmon Killebrew, Roger Maris, Barry Bonds, Dale Murphy, George Foster, and Ernie Banks have won it during two consecutive seasons. Only one player, Don Mattingly, won it three consecutive seasons.
Do you agree or disagree with The Sporting News winners? Which of the recipients belong in the hall of fame? Does this award help support the cause of some of those players? Take a moment and share your thoughts with fellow fans on our message board.