Sporting News Player of the Year Award


The Sporting News Player of the Year Award is awarded annually by Sporting News to the most outstanding player in Major League Baseball. The honor was first given in 1936.

History

The Sporting News established in 1936 the Player of the Year award. It is the oldest and most prestigious award given to the single player in MLB who had the most outstanding season. Until 1969, it was the only major award given to a single player from MLB, rather than to a player in each league. In 1969, Baseball Digest began its Player of the Year award for one player in all of MLB. In 1993, the first Best Major League Baseball Player ESPY Award was given. In 1998, the Major League Baseball Players Association began its own Player of the Year award, for one player in all of MLB, as part of its Players Choice Awards. Baseball America also began its Major League Player of the Year award in 1998. In 2012, MLB's "GIBBY Awards" added an MLB Most Valuable Player category, which was renamed the Most Valuable Major Leaguer in 2014; its current name is the "Esurance MLB Awards" Best Major Leaguer.

Winners

Key

NLNational League
ALAmerican League
PPitcher
CCatcher
1BFirst baseman
2BSecond baseman
3BThird baseman
SSShortstop
OFOutfielder
BABatting average
RBIRun batted in
HRHome runs
W-LWin Loss Record
KStrikeouts
ERAEarned run average
SBStolen bases
RRuns scored
Member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Player is active
*Led League

Awardees

YearNameClubLeaguePosNotesReferences
1936New York GiantsNLPW-L: 26*-6, ERA: 2.31*, K: 123
1937Cleveland IndiansALPW-L: 15-1, ERA: 2.55, K: 87
1938Cincinnati RedsNLPW-L: 15-10, ERA: 3.12, K: 125
1939New York YankeesALOFBA:.381*, RBI: 126, HR: 30
1940Cleveland IndiansALPW-L: 27*-11, ERA: 2.61*, K: 261*,
AL Triple Crown
1941Boston Red SoxALOFBA:.406*, RBI: 120, HR: 37*, Runs: 135*,
BB: 147*
1942 Boston Red SoxALOFBA:.356*, RBI: 137*, HR: 36*, Runs: 141*,
BB: 145*, MLB Triple Crown
1943New York YankeesALPW-L:20*-4, ERA:1.64*, K:134
1944St. Louis CardinalsNLSSBA:.263, RBI: 63, HR: 6
1945Detroit TigersALPW-L: 25*-9, ERA: 1.81*, K: 212*,
MLB Triple Crown
1946St. Louis CardinalsNL1BBA:.365*, RBI: 103, HR: 16, Runs: 124*
1947 Boston Red SoxALOFBA:.343*, RBI: 114*, HR: 32*, Runs: 125*,
BB: 162*, AL Triple Crown
1948Cleveland IndiansALSSBA:.355, RBI: 106, HR: 18
1949Boston Red SoxALOFBA:.343, RBI: 159*, HR: 43*, Runs: 150*,
BB: 162*
1950New York YankeesALSSBA:.324, RBI: 66, HR: 7
1951St. Louis CardinalsNLOFBA:.355*, RBI: 108, HR: 32, Runs: 124
1952 Philadelphia PhilliesNLPW-L: 28*-7, ERA: 2.59, K: 148
1953Cleveland IndiansAL3BBA:.336, RBI: 145, HR: 43
1954New York GiantsNLOFBA:.345*, RBI: 110, HR: 41, Runs: 119
1955Brooklyn DodgersNLOFBA:.309, RBI: 136*, HR: 42, Runs: 126*
1956New York YankeesALOFBA:.353*, RBI: 130*, HR: 52*, Runs: 132*,
MLB Triple Crown
1957Boston Red SoxALOFBA:.388*, RBI: 87, HR: 38, BB: 119
1958New York YankeesALPW-L: 21*-7, ERA: 2.97, K: 168
1959Chicago White SoxALPW-L: 22*-10, ERA: 3.17, K: 179
1960Pittsburgh PiratesNL2BBA:.273, RBI: 64, HR: 11, Gold Glove
1961New York YankeesALOFBA:.269, RBI: 141*, HR: 61*, Runs: 132*,
Single Season Home Run Record
1962Los Angeles DodgersNLSSBA:.299, RBI: 48, HR: 6, SB: 104*
1962Los Angeles DodgersNLPW-L: 25*-9, ERA: 2.83 K: 232*
1963Los Angeles DodgersNLPW-L: 25*-5, ERA: 1.88* K: 306*,
MLB Triple Crown
1964St. Louis CardinalsNL3BBA:.295, RBI: 119*, HR: 24
1965Los Angeles DodgersNLPW-L: 26*-8, ERA: 2.04* K: 382*,
MLB Triple Crown
1966Baltimore OriolesALOFBA:.316*, RBI: 122*, HR: 49*, Runs: 122,
AL Triple Crown
1967Boston Red SoxALOFBA:.326*, RBI: 121*, HR: 44*, Runs: 112*,
AL Triple Crown
1968Detroit TigersALPW-L: 31*-6, ERA: 1.96 K: 280
1969San Francisco GiantsNL1BBA:.320, RBI: 126*, HR: 45*
1970Cincinnati RedsNLCBA:.293, RBI: 148*, HR: 45*
1971St. Louis CardinalsNL3BBA:.363*, RBI: 137, HR: 24
1972Chicago CubsNLOFBA:.333*, RBI: 122, HR: 37
1973
Oakland AthleticsALOFBA:.293, RBI: 117*, HR: 32*, Runs: 99*
1974St. Louis CardinalsNLOFBA:.306, RBI: 48, HR: 3, SB: 118*, R: 105
1975Cincinnati RedsNL2BBA:.327, RBI: 94, HR: 17, SB: 67, R: 107
1976Cincinnati RedsNL2BBA:.320, RBI: 111, HR: 27, SB: 60, R: 113
1977Minnesota TwinsAL1BBA:.388*, RBI: 100, HR: 14, SB: 23, R: 128*
1978New York YankeesALPW-L: 25*-3, ERA: 1.74* K: 248
1979Pittsburgh PiratesNL1BBA:.281, RBI: 82, HR: 32
1980Kansas City RoyalsAL3BBA:.390*, RBI: 118, HR: 24
1981Los Angeles DodgersNLPW-L 13-7, ERA: 2.48 K: 180*
1982Milwaukee BrewersALSSBA:.331 RBI: 114, HR: 29
1983Baltimore OriolesALSSBA:.318 RBI: 102, HR: 27, Runs: 121*
1984Chicago CubsNL2BBA:.314 RBI: 84, HR: 19, Runs: 114
1985New York YankeesAL1BBA:.324 RBI: 145*, HR: 35
1986Boston Red SoxALPW-L: 24*-4, ERA: 2.48*, K: 238
1987Toronto Blue JaysALOFBA:.308 RBI: 134*, HR: 47
1988Los Angeles DodgersNLPW-L: 23*-8, ERA: 2.26, K: 178
1989San Francisco GiantsNLOFBA:.291 RBI: 125*, HR: 47*
1990Pittsburgh PiratesNLOFBA:.301, RBI: 114, HR: 33
1991
Baltimore OriolesALSSBA:.323, RBI: 114, HR: 34
1992San Diego PadresNLOFBA:.330*, RBI: 100, HR: 33
1993 Chicago White SoxAL1BBA:.317, RBI: 128, HR: 41
1994Houston AstrosNL1BBA:.368, RBI: 116*, HR: 39, Runs: 104*
1995Cleveland IndiansALOFBA:.317, RBI: 126*, HR: 50*, Runs: 121*
1996Seattle MarinersALSSBA:.358*, RBI: 123, HR: 36, Runs: 141*
1997Seattle MarinersALOFBA:.304, RBI: 147*, HR: 56*, Runs: 125
1998Chicago CubsNLOFBA:.308, RBI: 158*, HR: 66, Runs: 134*
1999Texas RangersAL1BBA:.324, RBI: 148, HR: 47
2000Toronto Blue JaysAL1BBA:.344, RBI: 137, HR: 41, Runs: 115
2001San Francisco GiantsNLOFBA:.328, RBI: 137, HR: 73*, Runs: 129,
BB: 177*, Single Season Home Run Record
2002Texas RangersALSSBA:.300, RBI: 142*, HR: 57*, Runs: 125,
Gold Glove
2003St. Louis CardinalsNL1BBA:.359*, RBI: 124, HR: 43, Runs: 137*
2004San Francisco GiantsNLOFBA:.362*, RBI: 101, HR: 45, Runs: 129,
BB: 232*
2005Atlanta BravesNLOFBA:.263, RBI: 128, HR: 51*, Runs: 95*,
Gold Glove
2006Philadelphia PhilliesNL1BBA:.313, RBI: 149*, HR: 58*, Runs: 104
2007 New York YankeesAL3BBA:.314, RBI: 156*, HR: 54*, Runs: 143*
2008St. Louis CardinalsNL1BBA:.357, RBI: 116, HR: 37, Runs: 100
2009St. Louis CardinalsNL1BBA:.327, RBI: 135, HR: 47*
2010Texas RangersALOFBA:.359*, RBI: 100, HR: 32
2011Detroit TigersALPW-L: 24*-5, ERA: 2.40*, K: 250*,
AL Triple Crown
2012Detroit TigersAL3BBA:.330*, RBI: 139*, HR: 44*, Runs: 109,
AL Triple Crown
2013Detroit TigersAL3BBA:.348*, RBI: 137, HR: 44, Runs: 103
2014Los Angeles DodgersNLPW-L: 21*-3, ERA: 1.77*, K: 239
2015Toronto Blue JaysAL3BBA:.297, RBI: 123*, HR: 41, Runs: 108
2016 Houston AstrosAL2BBA:.338*, RBI: 96, HR: 24, Runs: 108
2017 Houston AstrosAL2BBA:.346*, RBI: 81, HR: 24, Runs: 112
2018Boston Red SoxALOFBA:.346*, RBI: 80, HR: 32, Runs: 129*, SLG:.640
2019Los Angeles AngelsALOFBA:.291, RBI: 104, HR: 45, Runs: 110, SLG:.645*

Multiple wins

Players

Several players have won the award more than once. Ted Williams, Joe Morgan, Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera, and José Altuve are the only players to win the award in consecutive years. Ted Williams won the award five times. Sandy Koufax is the only pitcher to win the award more than once. Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds are the only players to win the award while playing with different teams. Stan Musial and Alex Rodriguez are the only players to win the award while playing different positions. The only tie was in 1962, when Don Drysdale and Maury Wills shared the honor. Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds are the only players to win the award with multiple teams. Alex Rodriguez won the award with the most teams.
Winning multiple SN Player of the Year awards has been seen as guaranteed admission to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Barry Bonds is the only player with multiple awards, eligible for the Hall of Fame, but not a member of the Hall of Fame. The table is of the Players that have won two or more awards and the year they were inducted into Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. Active players are not eligible for the Hall of Fame.
Player# of AwardsYearsYear inducted into HOF
Ted Williams
5
1941–1942, 1947, 1949, 1957
1966
Barry Bonds
3
1990, 2001, 2004
-
Alex Rodriguez
3
1996, 2002, 2007
Not Yet Eligible
Albert Pujols
3
2003, 2008–2009
Active-Not Eligible
Stan Musial
2
1946, 1951
1969
Sandy Koufax
2
1963, 1965
1972
Joe Morgan
2
1975–1976
1990
Cal Ripken Jr.
2
1983, 1991
2007
Miguel Cabrera
2
2012–2013
Active-Not Eligible
José Altuve
2
2016–2017
Active-Not Eligible

Outfielders and Pitchers have won the most awards.
Position# of Awards
Outfield28
Pitcher19
First Baseman13
Shortstop 9
Third Baseman 8
Second Baseman 6
Catcher 1