1972 National League Most Valuable Player Award

The winner of the 1972 National League Most Valuable Player Award was Johnny Bench of the Cincinnati Reds.

Award Voting

† indicates playoff team

Player	Team	Points	Points Share (Max Points)	First Votes		AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG		W - L	SV	IP	H	HR	BB	SO	ERA
Johnny Bench	Cincinnati Reds †	263	0.783 (336)	11		538	87	145	40	125	6	100	84	0.270	0.379	0.541		Did not pitch
Billy Williams	Chicago Cubs	211	0.628 (336)	5		574	95	191	37	122	3	62	59	0.333	0.398	0.606		Did not pitch
Willie Stargell	Pittsburgh Pirates †	201	0.598 (336)	2		495	75	145	33	112	1	65	129	0.293	0.373	0.558		Did not pitch
Joe Morgan	Cincinnati Reds †	197	0.586 (336)	5		552	122	161	16	73	58	115	44	0.292	0.417	0.435		Did not pitch
Steve Carlton	Philadelphia Phillies	124	0.369 (336)	1		117	6	23	1	8	0	5	31	0.197	0.236	0.265		27 - 10	0	346.1	257	17	87	310	1.97
Cesar Cedeno	Houston Astros	112	0.333 (336)	0		559	103	179	22	82	55	56	62	0.320	0.385	0.537		Did not pitch
Al Oliver	Pittsburgh Pirates †	52	0.155 (336)	0		565	88	176	12	89	2	34	44	0.312	0.352	0.437		Did not pitch
Nate Colbert	San Diego Padres	45	0.134 (336)	0		563	87	141	38	111	15	70	127	0.250	0.333	0.508		Did not pitch
Lee May	Houston Astros	30	0.089 (336)	0		592	87	168	29	98	3	52	145	0.284	0.343	0.490		Did not pitch
Mike Marshall	Montreal Expos	22	0.065 (336)	0		22	0	3	0	2	0	2	4	0.136	0.208	0.182		14 - 8	18	116.0	82	3	47	95	1.78
Ted Simmons	St. Louis Cardinals	22	0.065 (336)	0		594	70	180	16	96	1	29	57	0.303	0.336	0.465		Did not pitch
Pete Rose	Cincinnati Reds †	19	0.057 (336)	0		645	107	198	6	57	10	73	46	0.307	0.382	0.417		Did not pitch
Clay Carroll	Cincinnati Reds †	16	0.048 (336)	0		11	2	2	0	1	0	0	3	0.182	0.182	0.182		6 - 4	37	96.0	89	5	32	51	2.25
Roberto Clemente	Pittsburgh Pirates †	16	0.048 (336)	0		378	68	118	10	60	0	29	49	0.312	0.356	0.479		Did not pitch
Lou Brock	St. Louis Cardinals	13	0.039 (336)	0		621	81	193	3	42	63	47	93	0.311	0.359	0.393		Did not pitch
Manny Sanguillen	Pittsburgh Pirates †	12	0.036 (336)	0		520	55	155	7	71	1	21	38	0.298	0.322	0.404		Did not pitch
Hank Aaron	Atlanta Braves	12	0.036 (336)	0		449	75	119	34	77	4	92	55	0.265	0.390	0.514		Did not pitch
Steve Blass	Pittsburgh Pirates †	9	0.027 (336)	0		82	8	15	0	3	0	2	22	0.183	0.202	0.207		19 - 8	0	249.2	227	18	84	117	2.49
Ralph Garr	Atlanta Braves	7	0.021 (336)	0		554	87	180	12	53	25	25	41	0.325	0.359	0.430		Did not pitch
Bobby Tolan	Cincinnati Reds †	6	0.018 (336)	0		604	88	171	8	82	42	44	88	0.283	0.334	0.386		Did not pitch
Gene Clines	Pittsburgh Pirates †	6	0.018 (336)	0		311	52	104	0	17	12	16	47	0.334	0.369	0.421		Did not pitch
Dusty Baker	Atlanta Braves	5	0.015 (336)	0		446	62	143	17	76	4	45	68	0.321	0.383	0.504		Did not pitch
Manny Mota	Los Angeles Dodgers	4	0.012 (336)	0		371	57	120	5	48	4	27	15	0.323	0.375	0.434		Did not pitch
Dave Kingman	San Francisco Giants	3	0.009 (336)	0		472	65	106	29	83	16	51	140	0.225	0.303	0.462		Did not pitch
Tug McGraw	New York Mets	2	0.006 (336)	0		20	1	2	0	0	0	2	4	0.100	0.182	0.100		8 - 6	27	106.0	71	3	40	92	1.70
Tom Seaver	New York Mets	2	0.006 (336)	0		89	5	13	3	4	0	5	41	0.146	0.191	0.303		21 - 12	0	262.0	215	23	77	249	2.92
Rusty Staub	New York Mets	2	0.006 (336)	0		239	32	70	9	38	0	31	13	0.293	0.372	0.452		Did not pitch
Fergie Jenkins	Chicago Cubs	1	0.003 (336)	0		109	8	20	1	8	0	5	34	0.183	0.219	0.239		20 - 12	0	289.1	253	32	62	184	3.20
Chris Speier	San Francisco Giants	1	0.003 (336)	0		562	74	151	15	71	9	82	92	0.269	0.361	0.400		Did not pitch
Jose Cardenal	Chicago Cubs	1	0.003 (336)	0		533	96	155	17	70	25	55	58	0.291	0.356	0.454		Did not pitch

Preceded by 1971

Most Valuable Player Award American 1972

Succeeded by 1973