Most Valuable Player Award

The Most Valuable Player Award (or MVP) in Major League Baseball is given to a player in each league who has contributed the most to the success of the player's team. It is awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America. There have been three interations of MLB MVP awards. The first two were awarded in the 1910s and 1920s, however the award did not become an annual one until 1931.

The Award was officially named the "Kenesaw Mountain Landis Most Valuable Player Award", in honor of baseball's first Commissioner, although the full name was almost never used. In 2020, the BBWAA rescinded the name after an overwhelming vote, due to Landis's role in blocking integration of Major League Baseball. Proposals for alternative names have been floated, including naming it for Josh Gibson.

Chalmers Award (1911-1914)

The Chalmers Automobile Company sponsored the first Most Valuable Player Award, the Chalmers Award award in 1911. The creation of this award was due to the controversy in the American League from the previous year in which the company gave an automobile in to the batting champion in each league. It 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 Chalmers "36" car was awarded to the winners. An article in the Oakland Tribune just before the 1912 season said that Chalmers would also award a car to the most valuable player of the Pacific Coast League that season.

Year voting totals		American League				National League
		Player	Team	Position		Player	Team	Position
1911 AL NL		Ty Cobb	Detroit Tigers	OF		Frank Schulte	Chicago Cubs	OF
1912 AL NL		Tris Speaker	Boston Red Sox	OF		Larry Doyle	New York Giants	2B
1913 AL NL		Walter Johnson	Washington Senators	P		Jake Daubert	Brooklyn Superbas	1B
1914 AL NL		Eddie Collins	Philadelphia Athletics	2B		Johnny Evers	Boston Braves	2B

League Award (1922-1929)

In the 1920s the leagues awarded MVPs, called the League Award. However only one player per team was listed on the ballot causing there being no National League MVP in 1922 or 1923. The American League also allowed players to win the award only once. This caused Babe Ruth to be ineligible for the award in historic 1927 season.

Year voting totals		American League				National League
		Player	Team	Position		Player	Team	Position
1922 AL		George Sisler	St. Louis Browns	1B		None awarded
1923 AL		Babe Ruth	New York Yankees	OF		None awarded
1924 AL NL		Walter Johnson	Washington Senators	P		Dazzy Vance	Brooklyn Robins	P
1925 AL NL		Roger Peckinpaugh	Washington Senators	SS		Rogers Hornsby	St. Louis Cardinals	2B
1926 AL NL		George Burns	Cleveland Indians	1B		Bob O'Farrell	St. Louis Cardinals	C
1927 AL NL		Lou Gehrig	New York Yankees	1B		Paul Waner	Pittsburgh Pirates	OF
1928 AL NL		Mickey Cochrane	Philadelphia Athletics	C		Jim Bottomley	St. Louis Cardinals	1B
1929  NL		None awarded				Rogers Hornsby	Chicago Cubs	2B

BBWAA Award (1931-present)

In 1931, the Baseball Writers Association of America began awarding the Most Valuable Player Award to one player in each league. It is officially called the Baseball Writers Most Valuable Player Award.

After the Cy Young Award was created in 1956 to be given to the best pitcher in Major League Baseball, the belief arose that the Most Valuable Player should be awarded to a position player since pitchers had their own award. In the years since 1956, 11 pitchers have won the award; in the 26 years prior pitchers won 12 of the awards.

The award is voted on by 30 members of the BBWAA (one from each Major League city) and uses a weighted score system. Each ranks their top ten players in each league with points awarded from on a 14-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. The players with the highest point total in each league wins the award.

BOLD indicates unanimous selection

Year voting totals		American League				National League
		Player	Team	Position		Player	Team	Position
1931 AL NL		Lefty Grove	Philadelphia Athletics	P		Frankie Frisch	St. Louis Cardinals	2B
1932 AL NL		Jimmie Foxx	Philadelphia Athletics	1B		Chuck Klein	Philadelphia Phillies	OF
1933 AL NL		Jimmie Foxx	Philadelphia Athletics	1B		Carl Hubbell	New York Giants	P
1934 AL NL		Mickey Cochrane	Detroit Tigers	C		Dizzy Dean	St. Louis Cardinals	P
1935 AL NL		Hank Greenberg	Detroit Tigers	1B		Gabby Hartnett	Chicago Cubs	C
1936 AL NL		Lou Gehrig	New York Yankees	1B		Carl Hubbell	New York Giants	P
1937 AL NL		Charlie Gehringer	Detroit Tigers	2B		Joe Medwick	St. Louis Cardinals	OF
1938 AL NL		Jimmie Foxx	Boston Red Sox	1B		Ernie Lombardi	Cincinnati Reds	C
1939 AL NL		Joe DiMaggio	New York Yankees	OF		Bucky Walters	Cincinnati Reds	P
1940 AL NL		Hank Greenberg	Detroit Tigers	OF		Frank McCormick	Cincinnati Reds	1B
1941 AL NL		Joe DiMaggio	New York Yankees	OF		Dolph Camilli	Brooklyn Dodgers	1B
1942 AL NL		Joe Gordon	New York Yankees	2B		Mort Cooper	St. Louis Cardinals	P
1943 AL NL		Spud Chandler	New York Yankees	P		Stan Musial	St. Louis Cardinals	OF
1944 AL NL		Hal Newhouser	Detroit Tigers	P		Marty Marion	St. Louis Cardinals	SS
1945 AL NL		Hal Newhouser	Detroit Tigers	P		Phil Cavarretta	Chicago Cubs	1B
1946 AL NL		Ted Williams	Boston Red Sox	OF		Stan Musial	St. Louis Cardinals	1B
1947 AL NL		Joe DiMaggio	New York Yankees	OF		Bob Elliott	Boston Braves	3B
1948 AL NL		Lou Boudreau	Cleveland Indians	SS		Stan Musial	St. Louis Cardinals	OF
1949 AL NL		Ted Williams	Boston Red Sox	OF		Jackie Robinson	Brooklyn Dodgers	2B
1950 AL NL		Phil Rizzuto	New York Yankees	SS		Jim Konstanty	Philadelphia Phillies	P
1951 AL NL		Yogi Berra	New York Yankees	C		Roy Campanella	Brooklyn Dodgers	C
1952 AL NL		Bobby Shantz	Philadelphia Athletics	P		Hank Sauer	Chicago Cubs	OF
1953 AL NL		Al Rosen	Cleveland Indians	3B		Roy Campanella	Brooklyn Dodgers	C
1954 AL NL		Yogi Berra	New York Yankees	C		Willie Mays	New York Giants	OF
1955 AL NL		Yogi Berra	New York Yankees	C		Roy Campanella	Brooklyn Dodgers	C
1956 AL NL		Mickey Mantle	New York Yankees	OF		Don Newcombe	Brooklyn Dodgers	P
1957 AL NL		Mickey Mantle	New York Yankees	OF		Hank Aaron	Milwaukee Braves	OF
1958 AL NL		Jackie Jensen	Boston Red Sox	OF		Ernie Banks	Chicago Cubs	SS
1959 AL NL		Nellie Fox	Chicago White Sox	2B		Ernie Banks	Chicago Cubs	SS
1960 AL NL		Roger Maris	New York Yankees	OF		Dick Groat	Pittsburgh Pirates	SS
1961 AL NL		Roger Maris	New York Yankees	OF		Frank Robinson	Cincinnati Reds	OF
1962 AL NL		Mickey Mantle	New York Yankees	OF		Maury Wills	Los Angeles Dodgers	SS
1963 AL NL		Elston Howard	New York Yankees	C		Sandy Koufax	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
1964 AL NL		Brooks Robinson	Baltimore Orioles	3B		Ken Boyer	St. Louis Cardinals	3B
1965 AL NL		Zoilo Versalles	Minnesota Twins	SS		Willie Mays	San Francisco Giants	OF
1966 AL NL		Frank Robinson	Baltimore Orioles	OF		Roberto Clemente	Pittsburgh Pirates	OF
1967 AL NL		Carl Yastrzemski	Boston Red Sox	OF		Orlando Cepeda	St. Louis Cardinals	1B
1968 AL NL		Denny McLain	Detroit Tigers	P		Bob Gibson	St. Louis Cardinals	P
1969 AL NL		Harmon Killebrew	Minnesota Twins	3B		Willie McCovey	San Francisco Giants	1B
1970 AL NL		Boog Powell	Baltimore Orioles	1B		Johnny Bench	Cincinnati Reds	C
1971 AL NL		Vida Blue	Oakland Athletics	P		Joe Torre	St. Louis Cardinals	3B
1972 AL NL		Dick Allen	Chicago White Sox	1B		Johnny Bench	Cincinnati Reds	C
1973 AL NL		Reggie Jackson	Oakland Athletics	OF		Pete Rose	Cincinnati Reds	OF
1974 AL NL		Jeff Burroughs	Texas Rangers	OF		Steve Garvey	Los Angeles Dodgers	1B
1975 AL NL		Fred Lynn	Boston Red Sox	OF		Joe Morgan	Cincinnati Reds	2B
1976 AL NL		Thurman Munson	New York Yankees	C		Joe Morgan	Cincinnati Reds	2B
1977 AL NL		Rod Carew	Minnesota Twins	1B		George Foster	Cincinnati Reds	OF
1978 AL NL		Jim Rice	Boston Red Sox	OF		Dave Parker	Pittsburgh Pirates	OF
1979 AL NL		Don Baylor	California Angels	DH		Keith Hernandez Willie Stargell	St. Louis Cardinals Pittsburgh Pirates	1B 1B
1980 AL NL		George Brett	Kansas City Royals	3B		Mike Schmidt	Philadelphia Phillies	3B
1981 AL NL		Rollie Fingers	Milwaukee Brewers	P		Mike Schmidt	Philadelphia Phillies	3B
1982 AL NL		Robin Yount	Milwaukee Brewers	SS		Dale Murphy	Atlanta Braves	OF
1983 AL NL		Cal Ripken Jr.	Baltimore Orioles	SS		Dale Murphy	Atlanta Braves	OF
1984 AL NL		Willie Hernandez	Detroit Tigers	P		Ryne Sandberg	Chicago Cubs	2B
1985 AL NL		Don Mattingly	New York Yankees	1B		Willie McGee	St. Louis Cardinals	OF
1986 AL NL		Roger Clemens	Boston Red Sox	P		Mike Schmidt	Philadelphia Phillies	3B
1987 AL NL		George Bell	Toronto Blue Jays	OF		Andre Dawson	Chicago Cubs	OF
1988 AL NL		Jose Canseco	Oakland Athletics	OF		Kirk Gibson	Los Angeles Dodgers	OF
1989 AL NL		Robin Yount	Milwaukee Brewers	OF		Kevin Mitchell	San Francisco Giants	OF
1990 AL NL		Rickey Henderson	Oakland Athletics	OF		Barry Bonds	Pittsburgh Pirates	OF
1991 AL NL		Cal Ripken Jr.	Baltimore Orioles	SS		Terry Pendleton	Atlanta Braves	3B
1992 AL NL		Dennis Eckersley	Oakland Athletics	P		Barry Bonds	Pittsburgh Pirates	OF
1993 AL NL	Frank Thomas	Chicago White Sox	1B	Barry Bonds	San Francisco Giants	OF
1994 AL NL	Frank Thomas	Chicago White Sox	1B	Jeff Bagwell	Houston Astros	1B
1995 AL NL	Mo Vaughn	Boston Red Sox	1B	Barry Larkin	Cincinnati Reds	SS
1996 AL NL	Juan González	Texas Rangers	OF	Ken Caminiti	San Diego Padres	3B
1997 AL NL	Ken Griffey Jr.	Seattle Mariners	OF	Larry Walker	Colorado Rockies	OF
1998 AL NL	Juan González	Texas Rangers	OF	Sammy Sosa	Chicago Cubs	OF
1999 AL NL	Iván Rodríguez	Texas Rangers	C	Chipper Jones	Atlanta Braves	3B
2000 AL NL	Jason Giambi	Oakland Athletics	1B	Jeff Kent	San Francisco Giants	2B
2001 AL NL	Ichiro Suzuki	Seattle Mariners	OF	Barry Bonds	San Francisco Giants	OF
2002 AL NL	Miguel Tejada	Oakland Athletics	SS	Barry Bonds	San Francisco Giants	OF
2003 AL NL	Alex Rodriguez	Texas Rangers	SS	Barry Bonds	San Francisco Giants	OF
2004 AL NL	Vladimir Guerrero	Anaheim Angels	OF	Barry Bonds	San Francisco Giants	OF
2005 AL NL	Alex Rodriguez	New York Yankees	3B	Albert Pujols	St. Louis Cardinals	1B
2006 AL NL	Justin Morneau	Minnesota Twins	1B	Ryan Howard	Philadelphia Phillies	1B
2007 AL NL	Alex Rodriguez	New York Yankees	3B	Jimmy Rollins	Philadelphia Phillies	SS
2008 AL NL	Dustin Pedroia	Boston Red Sox	2B	Albert Pujols	St. Louis Cardinals	1B
2009 AL NL	Joe Mauer	Minnesota Twins	C	Albert Pujols	St. Louis Cardinals	1B
2010 AL NL	Josh Hamilton	Texas Rangers	OF	Joey Votto	Cincinnati Reds	1B
2011 AL NL	Justin Verlander	Detroit Tigers	P	Ryan Braun	Milwaukee Brewers	OF
2012 AL NL	Miguel Cabrera	Detroit Tigers	3B	Buster Posey	San Francisco Giants	C
2013 AL NL	Miguel Cabrera	Detroit Tigers	3B	Andrew McCutchen	Pittsburgh Pirates	CF
2014 AL NL	Mike Trout	Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim	OF	Clayton Kershaw	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
2015 AL NL	Josh Donaldson	Toronto Blue Jays	3B	Bryce Harper	Washington Nationals	OF
2016 AL NL	Mike Trout	Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim	OF	Kris Bryant	Chicago Cubs	3B
2017 AL NL	José Altuve	Houston Astros	2B	Giancarlo Stanton	Miami Marlins	OF
2018 AL NL	Mookie Betts	Boston Red Sox	OF	Christian Yelich	Milwaukee Brewers	OF
2019 AL NL	Mike Trout	Los Angeles Angels	OF	Cody Bellinger	Los Angeles Dodgers	OF
2020 AL NL	José Abreu	Chicago White Sox	1B	Freddie Freeman	Atlanta Braves	1B
2021 AL NL	Shohei Ohtani	Los Angeles Angels	DH/P	Bryce Harper	Philadelphia Phillies	OF
2022 AL NL	Aaron Judge	New York Yankees	OF	Paul Goldschmidt	St. Louis Cardinals	1B
2023 AL NL	Shohei Ohtani	Los Angeles Angels	DH/P	Ronald Acuna	Atlanta Braves	OF

Further Reading

• Ben Alter: "The Relationship Between WAR and the Selection of Annual Performance-Based Awards", Baseball Research Journal, SABR, Vol. 52 Number 1 (Spring 2023), pp. 59-63.
• Anthony Castrovince: "The best players to never win MVP", mlb.com, December 10, 2021. [1]
• Thomas Harrigan: "MLB's most valuable position is ... first base?", mlb.com, April 27, 2020. [2]
• Donald Honig: American League Most Valuable Players, Bantam Books, New York, NY, 1989. ISBN 0553279807
• Donald Honig: National League Most Valuable Players, Bantam Books, New York, NY, 1989. ISBN 0553280228
• Bill James: "Three Looks at the MVPs", Bill James Online, February 20, 2020. [3]
• Douglas Jordan: "Black Swans in Baseball: The Case of the Unexpected MVP Season", in Baseball Research Journal, SABR, Vol. 50, Nr. 1 (Spring 2021), pp. 48-54.
• Daniel Kramer: "The closest MVP votes in history", mlb.com, May 23, 2020. [4]
• Sarah Langs: "Does winning MVP, Cy clear path to Cooperstown?", mlb.com, June 16, 2020. [5]
• Jeremy Lehrman: Baseball's Most Baffling MVP Ballots, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2016. ISBN 978-1-4766-6675-4
• Bob Nightengale: "Renaming AL and NL MVP awards after Josh Gibson is the right thing to do", USA Today, November 9, 2020. [6]

Related Sites

• BR's Most Valuable Player Award Winners Page