J.G. Taylor Spink Award

The J.G. Taylor Spink Award was first given in 1962 in an effort to recognize the baseball writer for his or her meritorious contributions to the field of baseball writing.

The recipients are selected by the Baseball Writers Association of America annually and voted on during the Winter Meetings. The winner is announced during the annual induction ceremonies at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and presented with a certificate then recognized on the "Scribes & Mikemen" exhibit in the Research Library. Baseball Almanac is pleased to present the winners of the J.G. Taylor Spink Award.

"Nothing on Earth is more depressing than an old baseball writer." - Ring Lardner (J.G. Taylor Spink Award Recipient in 1963)
J.G. Taylor Spink Award

In Chronological Order

Year Name(s) Beat 1st BBWAA Year
1962 J.G. Taylor Spink St. Louis, Missouri 1912
1963 Ring Lardner New York, New York 1910
1964 Hugh Fullerton New York, New York 1908
1965 Charles Dryden Chicago, Illinois 1909
1966 Grantland Rice New York, New York 1912
1967 Damon Runyon New York, New York 1911
1968 Harry G. Salsinger Detroit, Michigan 1909
1969 Sid Mercer New York, New York 1909
1970 Heywood C. Broun New York, New York 1911
1971 Frank Graham New York, New York 1915
1972 Dan Daniel New York, New York 1913
Fred Lieb New York, New York 1911
J. Roy Stockton St. Louis, Missouri 1922
1973 Warren Brown Chicago, Illinois 1922
John Drebinger New York, New York 1923
John F. Kieran New York, New York 1922
1974 John Carmichael Chicago, Illinois 1932
James Isaminger Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1908
1975 Tom Meany New York, New York 1924
Shirley Povich Washington, D.C. 1925
1976 Harold Kaese Boston, Massachusetts 1934
Red Smith New York, New York 1929
1977 Gordon Cobbledick Cleveland, Ohio 1928
Edgar Munzel Chicago, Illinois 1929
1978 Tim Murnane Boston, Massachusetts 1908
Dick Young New York, New York 1943
1979 Bob Broeg St. Louis, Missouri 1942
Tommy Holmes Brooklyn, New York 1923
1980 Joe Reichler New York, New York 1944
Milton Richman New York, New York 1946
1981 Allen Lewis Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1950
Bob Addie Washington, D.C. 1942
1982 Si Burick Dayton, Ohio 1946
1983 Ken Smith New York, New York 1927
1984 Joe McGuff Kansas City, Missouri 1955
1985 Earl Lawson Cincinnati, Ohio 1949
1986 Jack Lang Brooklyn, New York 1946
1987 Jim Murray Los Angeles, California 1961
1988 Bob Hunter Los Angeles, California 1958
Ray Kelly Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1946
1989 Jerome Holtzman Chicago, Illinois 1957
1990 Phil Collier San Diego, California 1962
1991 Ritter Collett Dayton, Ohio 1947
1992 Leonard Koppett New York, New York 1951
Bus Saidt Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1967
1993 Wendell Smith Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1948
1994 No Award Given

n/a

n/a
1995 Joseph Durso New York, New York 1964
1996 Charley Feeney New York, New York 1946
1997 Sam Lacy Washington, D.C. 1934
1998 Bob Stevens San Francisco, California 1940
1999 Hal Lebovitz Cleveland, Ohio 1946
2000 Ross Newhan Los Angeles, California 1961
2001 Joe Falls Detroit, Michigan 1945
2002 Hal McCoy Dayton, Ohio 1961
2003

Murray Chass

New York, New York

1962

2004

Peter Gammons

Boston, Massachusetts

1979

2005

Tracy Ringolsby

Denver, Colorado

1976

2006

Rick Hummel

St. Louis, Missouri

1982

2007

Not Yet Announced (11-2007)

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Year Name(s) Beat 1st BBWAA Year

J.G. Taylor Spink Award



Si Burick was, "on the same job for fifty-four years without receiving a promotion" and in 1982 he became the first recipient of the J.G. Taylor Spink Award from a non-Major League city.

Wendell Smith was the first black recipient of a J.G. Taylor Spink Award and he is credited with the writing of the first ever Jackie Robinson biography.

Did you know that Baseball Almanac will probably never win a J.G. Taylor Spink Award because we are not permitted to join the BBWAA due to our internet only format?