Professional baseball awards
Entrance to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri
The Legacy Awards are presented annually by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM), headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri . The "Hall of Game Award"—established in 2014 and honoring players who personify "the spirit of the way the game was played in the Negro Leagues "[ 1] —is the only such award actively presented since 2018.
A number of Legacy Awards were previously issued to the best players , managers , and executives in each league of Major League Baseball (MLB), for on-field and off-the-field achievement. The awards were named for legendary players of Negro league baseball , and first presented following the 2000 MLB season .[ 2] Awards were later added for baseball writers and philanthropists .
The first Legacy Awards were presented in November 2000 at the "Legacy 2000 Players’ Reunion and Awards Banquet", which was organized to honor the 10th anniversary of the opening of the museum and the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Negro National League .[ 3] [ 4] For the next nine years (2001–2009), each year's awards were presented at a banquet in January or February of the following year.[ 5] [ 3] [ 6] Proceeds from the Legacy Awards annual banquets were used for the benefit of the museum.
In 2010, there was no banquet.[ 7] Instead, the awards were presented at separate events at the museum and in various major-league ballparks through the spring of 2011.[ 3] The 12th annual awards (for 2011) were presented at an awards banquet on January 28, 2012.[ 8]
In January 2013, NLBM president Bob Kendrick announced that the 2013 awards banquet would be the final one held. All further awards would be presented in the same manner as the 2010 awards, at various MLB ballparks or at the museum if the award winner happened to be in Kansas City to play against the Royals .[ 9] The logistics of off-season travel were the primary reason cited by Kendrick for this change.[ 9] Of all those honored for their 2012 season, only Everth Cabrera of the San Diego Padres , traveling from his off-season home in Nicaragua , was able to make it to Kansas City for the January banquet and presentation.[ 9]
The "Hall of Game Award", established in 2014, is the only award actively presented since 2018.
NLBM president Bob Kendrick wearing a Kansas City Monarchs jersey
Awards have been issued in the following categories:
Hall of Game Award – former Major League Baseball stars
Oscar Charleston Legacy Award – "Most Valuable Players" in the National (NL) and American (AL) leagues
Pitcher of the Year – "Pitchers of the Year" in the NL and AL:
Leroy "Satchel" Paige Legacy Award (2000–2005)
Wilbur "Bullet" Rogan Legacy Award (2006–present)
Larry Doby Legacy Award – "Rookies of the Year" in the NL and AL
Hilton Smith Legacy Award – "Relievers of the Year" in the NL and AL
Walter "Buck" Leonard Legacy Award – batting champions in the NL and AL
Josh Gibson Legacy Award – "Home Run" leaders in the NL and AL
James "Cool Papa" Bell Legacy Award – "Stolen Base" leaders in the NL and AL
Charles Isham "C. I." Taylor Legacy Award – "Managers of the Year" in the NL and AL
Andrew "Rube" Foster Legacy Award – "Executives of the Year" in the NL and AL
Kansas City Mondards Award - Royals player and pitcher of the year
John Henry "Pop" Lloyd Legacy Award – in recognition of "Baseball and Community Leadership"
Sam Lacy Legacy Award – "Baseball Writer of the Year"
Jackie Robinson Lifetime Achievement Award – for "Career Excellence in the Face of Adversity"
John "Buck" O'Neil Legacy Award – to a local or national corporate/private philanthropist for "Outstanding Support of the NLBM"
Winners of each award are listed below.
The Hall of Game Award was introduced by the NLBM on February 13, 2014.[ 10] The Hall of Game annually honors former Major League Baseball (MLB) stars who played the game with the same passion, determination, flair and skill exhibited by the heroes of the Negro leagues. In addition to the ceremony, Hall of Game inductees will also receive permanent recognition as part of the future Buck O’Neil Education and Research Center being developed by the NLBM at the site of the Paseo YMCA, the birthplace of the Negro leagues.[ 11]
2014: Lou Brock , Roberto Clemente , Joe Morgan , Dave Winfield [ 12]
2015: Rickey Henderson , Ferguson Jenkins , Ozzie Smith , Luis Tiant [ 12]
2016: Orlando Cepeda , Andre Dawson , Tony Oliva , Tim Raines [ 13]
2017: Al Oliver , Tony Pérez , Lee Smith , Maury Wills [ 14]
2018: Dick Allen , Kenny Lofton , Eddie Murray , J. R. Richard [ 15]
Note: Mudcat Grant was originally slated for induction but was unable to attend.
2019: Eric Davis , Fred McGriff , Dave Parker , Dave Stewart [ 16]
2023: Vida Blue, Al Downing, Dwight Gooden, Mike Norris and Dontrelle Willis [39]
Note: CC Sabathia and David Price had schedule conflicts and will be inducted in a subsequent class.
Oscar Charleston Legacy Award [ edit ]
Oscar Charleston
The Oscar Charleston Legacy Award is given annually to the "Most Valuable Players" in the National and American leagues.[ 5]
Pitcher of the Year [ edit ]
Satchel Paige
Bullet Rogan
Leroy "Satchel" Paige Legacy Award[ edit ]
The Satchel Paige Legacy Award was given annually to the best pitchers in the National and American leagues.
Wilbur "Bullet" Rogan Legacy Award[ edit ]
The Wilbur "Bullet" Rogan Legacy Award is given annually to the "Pitchers of the Year" in the National and American leagues.[ 5]
Larry Doby Legacy Award [ edit ]
Lary Doby
Note: This should not be confused with the Larry Doby Award , which is presented to the MLB "Futures Game" MVP.
The Larry Doby Legacy Award is given annually to the "Rookies of the Year" in the National and American leagues.[ 2]
Hilton Smith Legacy Award [ edit ]
The Hilton Smith Legacy Award is given annually to the "Relievers of the Year" in the National and American leagues.[ 5]
Walter "Buck" Leonard Legacy Award[ edit ]
The Walter "Buck" Leonard Legacy Award is given annually to the batting champions in the National and American leagues.[ 5]
Josh Gibson Legacy Award [ edit ]
Josh Gibson
The Josh Gibson Legacy Award is given annually to the "Home Run" leaders in the National and American leagues.[ 5]
James "Cool Papa" Bell Legacy Award[ edit ]
The James "Cool Papa" Bell Legacy Award is given annually to the "Stolen Base" leaders in the National and American leagues.[ 5]
Charles Isham "C. I." Taylor Legacy Award[ edit ]
C. I. Taylor
The Charles Isham "C. I." Taylor Legacy Award is given annually to the "Managers of the Year" in the National and American leagues.[ 5]
Andrew "Rube" Foster Legacy Award[ edit ]
Rube Foster
The Andrew "Rube" Foster Legacy Award is given annually to the "Executives of the Year" in the National and American leagues.[ 5]
Kansas City Monarchs Legacy Award [ edit ]
The Kansas City Monarchs Legacy Award is given annually to the Royals player and/or pitcher of the year.
John Henry Lloyd
John Henry "Pop" Lloyd Legacy Award[ edit ]
The John Henry "Pop" Lloyd Legacy Award is given annually in recognition of "Baseball and Community Leadership".[ 5]
Sam Lacy Legacy Award [ edit ]
Sam Lacy
The Sam Lacy Legacy Award is given annually to the "Baseball Writer of the Year".[ 5] [ 34]
Jackie Robinson Lifetime Achievement Award [ edit ]
Jackie Robinson
The Jackie Robinson Lifetime Achievement Award is given annually for "Career Excellence in the Face of Adversity".[ 5] [ 36]
2002: Hank Aaron [ 37] and Frank Robinson (manager of the Montreal Expos and the first African-American manager in the major leagues)[ 18]
2003:
2004: Rachel Robinson (educator, philanthropist, and widow of Jackie Robinson )[ 21]
2005: Bob Watson vice-president of on-field operations for the Major League Baseball
2006: Don Newcombe (former Negro leagues and Major League great)[ 23]
2007: Orestes "Minnie" Minoso (first black player to play for the White Sox, in 1951)[ 20]
2008:
2009: Joe Morgan (baseball analyst, ESPN; former Major League player)[ 5]
2010: Frank White (baseball broadcast analyst; former Kansas City Royals infielder)[ 36] [ 38] [ 39]
2011: Lou Brock (Baseball Hall of Famer)[ 8]
2012: Charley Pride (Country Music Hall of Famer and former Negro leagues player)[ 9]
2013:
2014:
2015:
2016:
2017: Dave Stewart (baseball) (former Major League pitcher, coach, executive, agent, broadcaster)[ 40]
2018:
2019: Sharon Robinson (author, educator, and daughter of Jackie Robinson )[ 41]
John "Buck" O'Neil Legacy Award[ edit ]
Buck O'Neil
The Buck O'Neil Legacy Award is given annually to a local or national corporate/private philanthropist for "Outstanding Support of the NLBM".[ 5]
2002: Bruce Boeger (regional director, Lincoln-Mercury ) and Joe Sorrentino (senior account executive, Pepsi )[ 18]
2003:
2004:
2005: Dan Glass (President, Kansas City Royals) and Dave Winfield (Vice President/Senior Advisor, San Diego Padres)[ 22]
2006: Ralph Reid (vice president, Corporate Social Responsibility, Sprint Nextel Corporation ) and Larry Stewart (chairman, ServiceMark Telecom)[ 23]
2007: Spence Heddens (Kansas City Market President, Bank of America ) and Jim Kenney (agency field executive, State Farm Insurance Companies )[ 20]
2008:
2009: Bud Selig (commissioner, Major League Baseball)[ 5]
2010:
2011: Ollie Gates (owner, Gates & Sons Bar-B-Q) and JE Dunn Construction Company[ 8]
2012: Joe Posnanski (sportswriter), and James B. Nutter & Co. (Kansas City business)[ 9]
2013: Bob Page (President/CEO of University of Kansas Hospital), and Rick Sutcliffe (pitcher and broadcaster)[ 42]
2014:
2015: Chicago White Sox and Emanuel Cleaver (U.S Congressman)[ 43]
2016:
2017: Frank White and Randall Ferguson, Jr. (civic leader)
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^ a b c d e f g h i j k Penn, Steve (January 14, 2003). "Players must honor the past" . The Kansas City Star . Negro League Baseball Players Association official website. Retrieved 2011-10-21 .
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^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Howard, Jeter To Receive Negro Leagues Baseball Museum's Legacy Awards" . BlackAthlete Sports Network. January 11, 2007. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved 2018-07-02 .{{cite web }}
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^ Salisbury, Jim (January 12, 2007). "MVP Howard takes well-deserved bows" . The Philadelphia Inquirer . Retrieved 2011-11-02 .
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^ Turner, Aprill (April 20, 2011). "NABJ Honors Pioneering Sports Journalist, ESPN's Claire Smith with Annual Legacy Award" . National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). Retrieved 2011-10-21 .
^ a b Paylor, Terez A. (April 15, 2011). "Frank White receives the Jackie Robinson Legacy Award" . The Kansas City Star . Retrieved 2011-10-09 .
^ On the following webpage, scroll down to "The 2011 Johnson Medalists include": Clark, Beverly (October 27, 2011). "Johnson Medals to honor champions of civil and human rights Nov. 8" . Emory University . Retrieved 2011-11-03 .
^ Pollock, Bill (April 14, 2011). "White earns Robinson Legacy Award" . MissouriNet. Retrieved 2011-10-09 .
^ "Pitching greats Vida Blue, Al Downing, Dwight Gooden, Mike Norris and Dontrelle Willis to be inducted into the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum's Hall of Game; ceremonies planned for September 9 in Kansas City, MO" . KSPRabc33 (Springfield, Mo.) . Schurz Communications. August 16, 2023. Retrieved 2011-10-21 .
^ "Negro Leagues Baseball Museum announces fourth annual 'Hall of Game' class" . kansascity . Retrieved 2018-05-02 .
^ @nlbmprez (9 February 2019). "Great to see Sharon Robinson at the @KC_UYA today! An accomplished author/educator, Sharon will receive our award t…" (Tweet ) – via Twitter .
^ "BUCK O'NEIL LEGACY AWARDS PRESENTATION" . www.facebook.com . Retrieved 2018-05-01 .
^ Palmer, Tod (November 8, 2015). "Aaron proud of his Negro Leagues start" . The Kansas City Star . p. B2. Retrieved September 13, 2022 – via newspapers.com.