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 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 Award

by 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

-

 -

No Selection

-

 -
1947

No Selection

-

 -

No Selection

-

 --
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

Player of the Year Award


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.
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