In one of the closest votes in the history of the award, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America names Yankees catcher Yogi Berra (.294, 27, 88) as the American League’s Most Valuable Player. The Yankees catcher, who will also cop the honor in 1954 and 1955, edges out the Browns’ 20-game winner Ned Garver, who was told he had won the award by a representative from the BBWAA before a recount gave the Bronx Bomber backstop a slight edge.
The Baseball Writers Association of America selects New York Yankees shortstop Phil Rizzuto as the American League MVP. He posted a .324 batting average with 200 hits and 125 runs, but drove in just 66 runs. Rizzuto, who receives 16 of 23 first-place votes, easily outpoints runner-ups Billy Goodman of the Boston Red Sox and teammate Yogi Berra.
1949 – Ted Williams, who lost the Triple Crown when his batting average was .0002 below that of George Kell, wins the American League MVP Award vote in a landslide. Phil Rizzuto and Joe Page finish second and third in the voting.
“Sometimes the best trades are the ones you never make” – BILL VEECK, the Indian owner’s observation about a possible deal that wasn’t made. Lou Boudreau is selected as the American League Most Valuable Player, becoming the only manager to win a World Series and be named the circuit’s MVP in the same season. The popular Indian shortstop, who had almost been dealt to the Browns earlier in the year but for the protest of the Tribe fans, prompts owner Bill Veeck to rethink the transaction.
1947 – Triple Crown winner Ted Williams (.343, 32 HR,162 RBI) is edged out by Joe DiMaggio (.315, 20, 97) for the American League MVP Award by one point. One BBWAA member fails to include Williams anywhere on his ballot.
On November 14, 1946 — Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox wins his first American League Most Valuable Player Award. Williams had hit .406 and led the league in home runs in 1941, but had lost the MVP race to Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees. He won the Triple Crown a year later, but…
1944 – Detroit Tigers pitcher Hal Newhouser is named Most Valuable Player in the American League, gathering four more votes than teammate Dizzy Trout. Newhouser’s 29 wins contrast with his 34 combined wins the previous four years, as his 2.22 ERA is bettered by Trout (2.12), who also has 27 wins.
1943 – The Most Valuable Player Awards for both leagues are named. Yankees pitcher Spud Chandler wins it in the American League and Cardinals outfielder Stan Musial in the National League.
1942 – Boston Red Sox outfielder Ted Williams was the Triple Crown winner in the American League, but the Baseball Writers Association of America selects Joe Gordon as AL Most Valuable Player. Williams finished with a .356 average, 36 home runs and 137 RBI. Gordon of the New York Yankees led the AL in strikeouts (95), most ground balls hit into double plays (22) and the most errors at second base (28). St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Mort Cooper, who posted a 22-7 record with 152 strikeouts and a 1.78 ERA, gets the National League MVP honors.
1941 – Joe DiMaggio is named American League Most Valuable Player. His 56-game hitting streak edges out Ted Williams and his .406 batting average for the award (291 points for DiMaggio and 254 for Williams).
Enjoy our free trial and start listening to games, interviews and shows! Ruth, Mantle, Aaron, and Seaver!