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Baseball/Most Valuable Player Award

In the game of baseball, both amateur and professional, it is tradition to annually recognize the one player in the league who has contributed the most to the success of their team.

In the United States, the awarding of the Most Valuable Player Award (or MVP) in Major League Baseball has changed hands several times but since the 1930s has been one of the better-implemented awards in baseball.

Chalmers Award, 1911-1914

The Chalmers Automobile Company awarded an automobile in 1910 to the batting average leader in each league. This led to a contoversy in the American League; Ty Cobb and Napoleon Lajoie[?] entered the final day of the season neck-and-neck. St. Louis, playing Lajoie's Cleveland team, played their infield back, allowing Lajoie to beat out seven bunt singles in a doubleheader and win the title. In the ensuing debacle, Chalmers awarded automobiles to both players. (The question of who really won the batting title is still debated.)

For 1911, the Chalmers Company decided that batting average was too narrow a focus for an award. The Chalmers Award was the first attempt to recognize a player for overall contributions to his team's success -- hence the designation Most Valuable rather than "player of the year", a distrinction which remains today.

National LeagueAmerican League
1911Wildfire Schulte, Chicago CubsTy Cobb, Detroit Tigers
1912Larry Doyle, New York GiantsTris Speaker, Boston Red Sox
1913Jake Daubert, Brooklyn DodgersWalter Johnson, Washington Senators
1914Johnny Evers[?], Boston BravesEddie Collins[?], Philadelphia Athletics

League awards, 1922-1929

In the 1920s the leagues awarded MVP titles, but limited the ballot options to one player per team, which led to there being no National League MVP in 1922 or 1923. A League Award could also be one by a player only once, leading to unusual results like Babe Ruth's 1927 (one of the greatest offensive seasons of all time) not being eligible for the award. The rule was changed in time for Rogers Hornsby[?] to become the first man to win two MVP awards, in 1929.

National LeagueAmerican League
1922No AwardGeorge Sisler[?], St Louis Browns
1923No AwardBabe Ruth, New York Yankees
1924Dazzy Vance[?], Brooklyn DodgersWalter Johnson, Washington Senators
1925Rogers Hornsby[?], St Louis CardinalsRoger Peckinpaugh, Washington Senators
1926Bob O'Farrell, St Louis CardinalsGeorge Burns, Cleveland Indians]
1927Paul Waner[?], Pittsburgh PiratesLou Gehrig, New York Yankees
1928Jim Bottomley[?], St Louis CardinalsMickey Cochrane, Philadelphia Athletics
1929Rogers Hornsby[?], Chicago CubsNo Award

BBWAA Awards, 1931 to present In 1931, the Baseball Writers Association of America began awarding the Most Valuable Player trophy.

In 1956 the Cy Young Award was first given to the best pitcher in each league. After that, the belief arose that the Most Valuable Player ought to be a position player, since pitchers had their own award. On occasion, though, pitchers still win the award, and the current rules for the MVP specifically state that pitchers are to be considered.

National LeagueAmerican League
1931 Lefty Grove, Philadelphia Athletics PFrankie Frisch[?], St Louis Cardinals 2B
1932 Jimmie Foxx, Philadelphia Athletics 1BChuck Klein[?], Philadelphia Phillies OF
1933 Jimmie Foxx, Philadelphia Athletics 1BCarl Hubbell[?], New York Giants P
1934 Mickey Cochrane, Detroit Tigers CDizzy Dean[?], St Louis Cardinals P
1935 Hank Greenberg, Detroit Tigers 1BGabby Hartnett[?], Chicago Cubs C
1936 Lou Gehrig, New York Yankees 1BCarl Hubbell[?], New York Giants P
1937 Charlie Gehringer[?], Detroit Tigers 2BJoe Medwick[?], St Louis Cardinals OF
1938 Jimmie Foxx, Boston Red Sox 1BErnie Lombardi[?], Cincinnati Reds C
1939 Joe DiMaggio, New York Yankees OFBucky Walters, Cincinnati Reds P
1940 Hank Greenberg, Detroit Tigers OFFrank McCormick, Cincinnati Reds 1B
1941 Joe DiMaggio, New York Yankees OFDolph Camilli, Brooklyn Dodgers 1B
1942 Joe Gordon, New York Yankees 2BMort Cooper, St Louis Cardinals P
1943 Spud Chandler, New York Yankees PStan Musial[?], St Louis Cardinals OF
1944 Hal Newhouser, Detroit Tigers PMarty Marion, St Louis Cardinals SS
1945 Hal Newhouser, Detroit Tigers PPhil Cavarretta, Chicago Cubs 1B
1946 Ted Williams, Boston Red Sox OFStan Musial[?], St Louis Cardinals 1B
1947 Joe DiMaggio, New York Yankees OFBob Elliot, Boston Braves 3B
1948 Lou Boudreau[?], Cleveland Indians SSStan Musial[?], St Louis Cardinals OF
1949 Ted Williams, Boston Red Sox OFJackie Robinson, Brooklyn Dodgers 2B
1950 Phil Rizzuto[?], New York Yankees SSJim Konstanty, Philadelphia Phillies P
1951 Yogi Berra, New York Yankees CRoy Campanella, Brooklyn Dodgers C
1952 Bobby Shantz, Philadelphia Athletics PHank Sauer, Chicago Cubs OF
1953 Al Rosen, Cleveland Indians 3BRoy Campanella, Brooklyn Dodgers C
1954 Yogi Berra, New York Yankees CWillie Mays, New York Giants OF
1955 Yogi Berra, New York Yankees CRoy Campanella, Brooklyn Dodgers C
1956 Mickey Mantle, New York Yankees OFDon Newcombe, Brooklyn Dodgers P
1957 Mickey Mantle, New York Yankees OFHank Aaron, Milwaukee Braves OF
1958 Jackie Jensen, Boston Red Sox OFErnie Banks[?], Chicago Cubs SS
1959 Nellie Fox[?], Chicago White Sox 2BErnie Banks[?], Chicago Cubs SS
1960 Roger Maris, New York Yankees OFDick Groat, Pittsburgh Pirates SS
1961 Roger Maris, New York Yankees OFFrank Robinson, Cincinnati Reds OF
1962 Mickey Mantle, New York Yankees OFMaury Wills, Los Angeles Dodgers SS
1963 Elston Howard, New York Yankees CSandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers P
1964 Brooks Robinson[?], Baltimore Orioles 3BKen Boyer, St Louis Cardinals 3B
1965 Zoilo Versalles, Minnesota Twins SSWillie Mays, San Francisco Giants OF
1966 Frank Robinson, Baltimore Orioles OFRoberto Clemente, Pittsburgh Pirates OF
1967 Carl Yastrzemski, Boston Red Sox OFOrlando Cepeda[?], St Louis Cardinals 1B
1968 Denny McLain, Detroit Tigers PBob Gibson, St Louis Cardinals P
1969 Harmon Killebrew[?], Minnesota Twins 3BWillie McCovey[?], San Francisco Giants 1B
1970 Boog Powell, Baltimore Orioles 1BJohnny Bench, Cincinnati Reds C
1971 Vida Blue, Oakland As PJoe Torre, St Louis Cardinals 3B
1972 Dick Allen, Chicago White Sox 1BJohnny Bench, Cincinnati Reds C
1973 Reggie Jackson, Oakland As OFPete Rose, Cincinnati Reds OF
1974 Jeff Burroughs, Texas Rangers OFSteve Garvey, Los Angeles Dodgers 1B
1975 Fred Lynn, Boston Red Sox OFJoe Morgan[?], Cincinnati Reds 2B
1976 Thurman Munson, New York Yankees CJoe Morgan[?], Cincinnati Reds 2B
1977 Rod Carew[?], Minnesota Twins 1BGeorge Foster, Cincinnati Reds OF
1978 Jim Rice, Boston Red Sox OFDave Parker, Pittsburgh Pirates OF
1979 Don Baylor, California Angels DHKeith Hernandez, St Louis Cardinals 1B
Willie Stargell[?], Pittsburgh Pirates 1B
1980 George Brett, Kansas City Royals 3BMike Schmidt[?], Philadelphia Phillies 3B
1981 Rollie Fingers, Milwaukee Brewers PMike Schmidt[?], Philadelphia Phillies 3B
1982 Robin Yount[?], Milwaukee Brewers SSDale Murphy, Atlanta Braves OF
1983 Cal Ripken Jr., Baltimore Orioles SSDale Murphy, Atlanta Braves OF
1984 Willie Hernandez, Detroit Tigers PRyne Sandberg, Chicago Cubs 2B
1985 Don Mattingly, New York Yankees 1BWillie McGee, St Louis Cardinals OF
1986 Roger Clemens, Boston Red Sox PMike Schmidt[?], Philadelphia Phillies 3B
1987 George Bell[?], Toronto Blue Jays OFAndre Dawson[?], Chicago Cubs OF
1988 Jose Canseco, Oakland As OFKirk Gibson, Los Angeles Dodgers OF
1989 Robin Yount[?], Milwaukee Brewers OFKevin Mitchell, San Francisco Giants OF
1990 Rickey Henderson, Oakland As OFBarry Bonds, Pittsburgh Pirates OF
1991 Cal Ripken Jr., Baltimore Orioles SSTerry Pendleton, Atlanta Braves 3B
1992 Dennis Eckersley[?], Oakland As PBarry Bonds, Pittsburgh Pirates OF
1993 Frank Thomas, Chicago White Sox 1BBarry Bonds, San Francisco Giants OF
1994 Frank Thomas[?], Chicago White Sox 1BJeff Bagwell[?], Houston Astros 1B
1995 Mo Vaughn[?], Boston Red Sox 1BBarry Larkin[?], Cincinnati Reds SS
1996 Juan Gonzalez[?], Texas Rangers OFKen Caminiti[?], San Diego Padres 3B
1997 Ken Griffey Jr.[?], Seattle Mariners OFLarry Walker[?], Colorado Rockies OF
1998 Juan Gonzalez[?], Texas Rangers OFSammy Sosa, Chicago Cubs OF
1999 Ivan Rodriguez[?], Texas Rangers CChipper Jones[?], Atlanta Braves 3B
2000 Jason Giambi[?], Oakland As 1BJeff Kent[?], San Francisco Giants 2B
2001Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners OFBarry Bonds, San Francisco Giants OF
2002Miguel Tejada[?], Oakland As SSBarry Bonds, San Francisco Giants OF



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