Baseball Awards

Awards given to those people who make significant contributions or reach the highest levels of professionalism within the game of baseball serve two purposes. First, each annual award represents the highest honor players, managers, and other professionals can receive to celebrate greatness. Additionally, the awards serve as baseball’s time capsule – triggering memories within those who love the sport, allowing them to fondly remember the heroes who have made baseball our National Pastime.

Expanding much like the game of baseball itself, the number of awards celebrating baseball accomplishments has grown exponentially over time. Where once only one award chronicled the greatest achievements of the game’s greatest players, now a multitude of awards serve to note achievements of a growing baseball industry – from elements of game play in the majors, minors, and collegiate levels, to managers and general managers, and now the members of the broadcasting, newsprint, and public relations fields.

Baseball Almanac is pleased to present the most comprehensive selection of baseball honors and awards found on the Internet. Each award selection lists all of the recipients, a brief history of the award, other interesting facts, and – in some cases – detailed voting results for the award.

"The Greatness of Ty Cobb was something that had to be seen, and to see him was to remember him forever." - Hall of Famer George Sisler
Baseball Awards

General Awards

Branch Rickey Award
   1992 - 2007

Cleveland Indians Good Guy Award
   1968 - 2006

Cleveland Indians Man of the Year Award
   1946 - 2006

Clutch Performer of the Month Award
   2007 - 2007

Comeback Player of the Year Award
   2005 - 2007

Cy Young Award
   1956 - 2007

Darryl Kile Award
   2003 - 2005

Delivery Man of the Month Award
   2005 - 2007

Dick Howser Trophy
   1987 - 2007

Fishel Award
   1981 - 2007

Ford C. Frick Award
   1978 - 2007

Frank Slocum Big B.A.T. Award
   1988 - 2007

Golden Spikes Award
   1978 - 2007

Hank Aaron Award
   1999 - 2007

Hutch Award
   1965 - 2006

J.G. Taylor Spink Award
   1962 - 2006

Johnny Bench Award
   2000 - 2007

Kansas City Royals Pitcher of the Year
   1971 - 2007

Kansas City Royals Player of the Year
   1971 - 2007

Lou Gehrig Memorial Award
   1955 - 2007

Manager of the Year Award
   1983 - 2007

Minor League Player of the Year Award
   1981 - 2007

Most Outstanding Player Award
   1947 - 2007

Organization of the Year Award
   1982 - 2006

Outstanding Designated Hitter Award
   1973 - 2008

Pitcher of the Month Award
   1975 - 2008

Player of the Month Award
   1958 - 2008

Player of the Week Award
   2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008

Players Choice Awards
   1992 - 2007

Roberto Clemente Man of the Year Award
   1971- 2007

Roger Clemens Award
   2004 - 2007

Rolaids Relief Man Award
   1976 - 2007

Rookie of the Month Award
   2008 - 2008

Rookie of the Year Award
   1947 - 2007

Seymour Medal Award
   1996 - 2007

Silver Slugger Award (American League)
   1980 - 2007

Silver Slugger Award (National League)
   1980 - 2007

Slocum Award (Not a Complete Set of Recipients)
   1929 - 2006

Sportsman of the Year Award
   1955 - 2001

Stenson Award
   2004 - 2007

This Year in Baseball Awards
   2002 - 2006

Tiger of the Year Award
   1965 - 2007

Tip O'Neill Award
   1984 - 2007

Tony Conigliaro Award
   1997 - 2007

Triple Crown "Award / Honor" in Hitting
   1887 - 1967

Triple Crown "Award / Honor" in Pitching
   1901 - 2007

Warren Spahn Award
   1999 - 2007

Wilbur Snypp Award
   1975 - 2007

Willie Mac Award
   1980 - 2007

King of Baseball Award
   1951 - 2003 [Discontinued]

Rotary Smith Award
   1988 - 2003 [Discontinued]

Ted Williams Award
   1997 - 2001 [Discontinued]

Baseball Awards

Rawlings Gold Glove Awards ®

Gold Glove Award for Catchers
   1957 - 2007

Gold Glove Award for First Basemen
   1957 - 2007

Gold Glove Award for American League Outfielders
   1957 - 2007

Gold Glove Award for National League Outfielders
   1957 - 2007

Gold Glove Award for Pitchers
   1957 - 2007

Gold Glove Award for Second Basemen
   1957 - 2007

Gold Glove Award for Shortstops
   1957 - 2007

Gold Glove Award for Third Basemen
   1957 - 2007

Baseball Awards

MVP Ernie Banks MVP Elston Howard

Most Valuable Player Awards

All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award
   1962 - 2007

League Championship Valuable Player Award
   1980 - 2007

Most Valuable Player Award
   1931 - 2007

World Series Most Valuable Player Award
   1955 - 2007

Chalmers Award (Early MVP Award Variation)
   1911 - 1914 [Discontinued]

League Award (Early MVP Award Variation)
   1922 - 1929 [Discontinued]

Babe Ruth Award (World Series MVP Award Variation)
   1949 - 2002 [Discontinued]

Baseball Awards

The Sporting News

by The Sporting News ©

Comeback Player of the Year Award
   1965 - 2007

Executive of the Year Award
   1936 - 2007

Fireman / Reliever of the Year Award
   1960 - 2006

Major League Player of the Year Award
   1936 - 2007

Manager of the Year Award
   1936 - 2007

Pitcher of the Year Award
   1944 - 2007

Rookie of the Year Award
   1946 - 1962 & 2004 - 2007

Most Valuable Player Award
   1929 - 1945 [Discontinued]

Player of the Year Award
   1944 - 1991 [Discontinued]

Rookie Pitcher of the Year Award
   1946 - 2003 [Discontinued]

Rookie Player of the Year Award
   1946 - 2003 [Discontinued]

Baseball Awards

Associated Press Logo

by the Associated Press ©

Red Smith Award
   1981 - 2007

All-Star Award / Squad
   1982 - 2000 [Discontinued]

Athlete of the Year Award
   1931 - 2001 [Discontinued]

Manager of The Year Award
   1959 - 2000 [Discontinued]

Player of the Year Award
   1988 - 2000 [Discontinued]

Baseball Awards

by Baseball Digest ©

Baseball Digest Player of the Year Award
   1969 - 2007

Baseball Digest Pitcher of the Year Award
   1994 - 2007

Baseball Awards on Baseball Almanac


The first Chalmers Award (a predecessor to the Most Valuable Player Award) winner was to receive a Chalmers car. However, the receipient was Ty Cobb who already owned a Chalmers automobile.

The modern Most Valuable Player Award was first issued to a pitcher in the American League and a second baseman in the National League at the end of the 1931 season. Do you remember who they were?

Did you know that at the end of the 1947 regular season, Jackie Robinson became the first Rookie of the Year award winner ever?