Baseball Writers' Association of America
AbbreviationBBWAA
FoundedOctober 14, 1908 (1908-10-14)
FieldSportswriting
Membership (2022)
At least 394[1]
President
C. Trent Rosecrans (2021)[2]
Vice President
Larry Stone (2021)[2]

The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) is a professional association for journalists writing about Major League Baseball for daily newspapers, magazines, and qualifying websites. The organization was founded in 1908 and is known for its annual awards and voting on membership in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Early years

The BBWAA was founded on October 14, 1908,[3] to improve working conditions for sportswriters in the early part of the 20th century; It also sought to promote uniformity of scoring methods, and to professionalize the press box, such that access was limited only to working reporters, telegraphers, and others who had a reason to be there.

The organization began with 43 founding members.[4] They included Joe S. Jackson, who became the association's first president. At that time, Jackson was the sporting editor (today called sports editor) of the Detroit Free Press. Also selected as officers were Irving E. Sanborn of the Chicago Tribune, syndicated columnist Hugh Fullerton, and The Boston Globe baseball writer Tim Murnane.[5] A second meeting was held in New York City in December; Sanborn decided he could not serve as an officer at that time, and he was replaced by William Weart of the Philadelphia Times. The slate of officers was ratified, and anyone who wrote about baseball in major league cities was eligible for membership. This policy changed, however, in December 1913, at which time it was decided that minor-league baseball writers could also become members.[6] Then, Jackson became a dominant force in the early years of the baseball writers, being elected as president of the association during nine consecutive terms.[7]

Jackson finally retired in 1919, while Sanborn returned to assume the position of president. After that, Jackson became a member of the BBWAA Board of Directors.[8]

Mission

The organization's primary function is to work with Major League Baseball and individual teams to assure clubhouse and press-box access for BBWAA members. In addition, BBWAA members also elect players to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, which is the organization's most public function. All writers with 10 continuous years of membership in the BBWAA, plus active BBWAA membership at any time in the preceding 10 years, are eligible to vote for the Hall of Fame. The BBWAA also votes annually for the Kenesaw Mountain Landis Most Valuable Player Award, Cy Young Award, Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award, and Manager of the Year Award in each of the two major leagues. The Hall of Fame also empowers the BBWAA's Historical Overview Committee, made up of 11 or 12 veteran BBWAA members, to formulate the annual ballot for the Veterans Committee.

Considering the ready availability of television broadcasts for the majority of baseball games, plus instant access to information through the Internet, some have called into question why the BBWAA has not broadened its membership rules to include broadcasters and researchers.[9] (Similar arguments were made for the inclusion of Web-based journalists, before the BBWAA added Web writers to its ranks in December 2007.)[10]

Others have openly questioned why the BBWAA is involved in the award and Hall of Fame voting processes at all,[11] citing in some cases journalistic integrity and the need to remain unbiased in their coverage of newsworthy events.[12]

Awards

Voting

The BBWAA's most public function is to annually vote on candidates for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The Out of the Park Baseball video game gives players the chance to participate in the BBWAA's election.

In addition, the BBWAA is responsible for voting on several annual awards in each major league which are presented annually at the New York chapter's dinner:

In or about 2000, the BBWAA took over the voting responsibility for the Edgar Martínez Award, given each year to the outstanding designated hitter in the American League.

From 1953 to 1962, the BBWAA presented a "Sophomore of the Year Award" in each league.[14]

In 1997, a 36-member BBWAA panel selected the Major League Baseball All-Time Team.

BBWAA Career Excellence Award

The annual BBWAA Career Excellence Award is the highest award given by the BBWAA. First awarded in 1962 to J. G. Taylor Spink, longtime publisher of The Sporting News, it was named the J. G. Taylor Spink Award until adopting its current name in February 2021.[15] It has been awarded annually for "meritorious contributions to baseball writing", except for one year during the 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike. Recipients are not considered members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame but are permanently recognized in an exhibit at the Hall's library.

Chapter awards

For information about the chapter and its presiding officer, see footnote[16] and Red Foley (past chairman).

New York chapter

Other chapters

Presidents

For a list of presidents and secretaries from 1908 to the present, see footnote[25] During the 2012 World Series, the Association elected its first female president, Susan Slusser, of the San Francisco Chronicle.[26]

List of members

Names of members are followed by the name of the organization for whom they write.[27]

Through the 2000s, writers for The New York Times, The Washington Post,[28] and The Baltimore Sun[29] said that they were no longer permitted by their employers to vote for the organization's awards. The New York Times said in 2021 that their writers have been prohibited from participating in any awards-giving body since 1989, under the rationale that "journalists should report the news, not help make it".[30] The Los Angeles Times has a similar policy,[31] though it appears to be negotiable.

Web membership

In 2007, the BBWAA opened its membership to web-based writers employed on a full-time basis by "websites that are credentialed by MLB for post-season coverage."[10]

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ "2022 Hall of Fame voters". Baseball Writers Association of America. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  2. 1 2 @officialBBWAA (December 23, 2020). "The BBWAA has elected new officers for 2021..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. ↑ "Base Ball Writers Association of America". BaseballLibrary.com. Archived from the original on May 13, 2011. Retrieved April 11, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Baseball Writers Have Formally Organized." Duluth News-Tribune, December 10, 1908, p. 12.
  5. ↑ "Baseball Writers Unite," The Washington Post, October 15, 1908, p. 9.
  6. ↑ "Mike Lynch Gets Jess Baker and Danny Shea for Spokane." Seattle Daily Times, December 10, 1913, p. 19.
  7. ↑ "Joe Jackson To Head Baseball Writers for Ninth Straight Term." The Seattle Times, February 14, 1918, p. 19.
  8. ↑ "Majors and Minors Rupture Relations." Omaha (NE) World-Herald, January 17, 1919, p. 6.
  9. ↑ "ESPN.com: Page 2: Hall voting remains archaic". Proxy.espn.go.com. February 22, 1999. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  10. 1 2 Lederer, Rich (December 6, 2007). "BBWAA Opens Up Its Membership to Web-Based Writers". The Baseball Analysts. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  11. 1 2 "I'm not sure reporters should vote in Hall of Fame elections. | SportsJustice | a Chron.com blog". Blogs.chron.com. January 10, 2007. Archived from the original on September 21, 2007. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  12. ↑ The Dallas Morning News (December 6, 2006). "APSE | Associated Press Sports Editors". Apse.dallasnews.com. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 DiComo, Anthony (January 28, 2008). "Murcer honored for rousing recovery: Ex-Yankee's emotional acceptance punctuates BBWAA Awards". MLB Advanced Media, LP (MLB.com). Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2010.
  14. ↑ Mondout, Patrick, Sophomore of the Year Award Winners Archived October 3, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. BaseballChronology.com. Retrieved August 1, 2011.
  15. ↑ "BBWAA removes J.G. Taylor Spink's name from Hall of Fame writing award over racist language". ESPN.com. February 5, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Daily News' Mark Feinsand elected Baseball Writers Association of America's New York chairman". New York Daily News. November 10, 2010. Retrieved January 23, 2011.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Rodriguez chokes up during speech". ESPN.com. ESPN. Associated Press. January 24, 2010. Retrieved October 21, 2011. A-Rod picked up the hardware at the 87th annual New York baseball writers' dinner Saturday night.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Lester voted postseason MVP by New York baseball writers". Boston.com. Associated Press. November 4, 2016. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
  19. ↑ Rumberg, Howie (January 25, 2010). "Alex Rodriguez is left speechless when accepting playoffs MVP from New York baseball writers". Associated Press (at Star Tribune, Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN). Retrieved January 30, 2010.
  20. ↑ For a brief biographical sketch about BBWAA past president Sid Mercer, see Honor Rolls of Baseball § Writers.
  21. ↑ The Slocum Award is presented by the New York Baseball Writers Association. Slocum Award. Baseball-Almanac. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  22. ↑ For a brief biographical sketch about William J. "Bill" Slocum, see Honor Rolls of Baseball § Writers.
  23. ↑ "Maddux, Mussina honored by NY baseball writers". Associated Press (at ESPN). January 26, 2009. Retrieved January 30, 2010.
  24. ↑ "Terry Ryan Award". Play Ball! Minnesota official website. Minnesota Twins Community Fund. Retrieved November 3, 2011. The winner is presented with the [Terry Ryan Award] at the annual Baseball Writers Association of America Diamond Awards along with many other prestigious Twins awards.
  25. ↑ Go to Constitution (Baseball Writers' Association of America official website; retrieved March 30, 2017) and scroll down to the bottom for Addendum B (BBWAA Presidents) and Addendum C (BBWAA Secretaries).
  26. ↑ Killion, Ann (October 28, 2012). "Chronicle writer Slusser sets precedent". San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Communications, Inc. Retrieved October 29, 2012. [She] was elected president ... at the annual World Series meeting of the BBWAA.
  27. ↑ "BBWAA - Badge List". Bizofbaseball.com. December 10, 2007. Archived from the original on July 13, 2007. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  28. 1 2 Boswell, Thomas (January 6, 2007). "Taking a Pass On McGwire". The Washington Post.
  29. ↑ "The Schmuck Stops Here: Cooperstown awaits - Baltimore Sun Ravens, Orioles: Sports news and opinion from Peter Schmuck - baltimoresun.com". Weblogs.baltimoresun.com. January 12, 2009. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  30. ↑ Brownstein, Matthew (November 22, 2021). "Why Times Reporters Don't Vote for M.V.P. (Or the Hall of Fame or the Tonys)". The New York Times. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  31. ↑ "ASNE - Code of Ethics: The Los Angeles Times". www.asne.org. Archived from the original on January 10, 2007.
  32. ↑ "BBWAA - Badge List". Bizofbaseball.com. December 10, 2007. Archived from the original on July 13, 2007. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  33. ↑ Dave Albee. "Dave Albee: Why I voted for Mark McGwire - Marin Independent Journal". Marinij.com. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  34. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 "2014 Hall of Fame Ballots". bbwaa.com. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  35. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Blum, Ronald (November 27, 2006). "> Sports - McGwire likely to fall far short in Hall vote". SignOnSanDiego.com. Archived from the original on April 6, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  36. 1 2 3 Shaughnessy, Dan (January 11, 2006). "Verdict is in: Rice still a tough out". The Boston Globe.
  37. ↑ http://www.southtownstar.com/sports/arvia/696613,121407sptarvia.article
  38. ↑ Baggarly, Andrew (January 6, 2016). "For all the Hall of Fame debate, and all the flaws in the process, Ken Griffey Jr. did something remarkable: He rose above it all".
  39. ↑ Baker, Geoff (January 4, 2011). "Edgar Martinez gets another Hall of Fame shot tomorrow...but not my vote". The Seattle Times.
  40. ↑ Bill Ballou Baseball wballou@telegram.com. "Worcester Telegram & Gazette - telegram.com - Ripken, Gwynn, McGwire getting votes". telegram.com. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  41. 1 2 3 4 5 "2013 Hall of Fame Ballots". bbwaa.com. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  42. ↑ Mike Bass [@MikeBassomatic] (January 8, 2014). "Here is my Hall of Fame ballot -- the first time I chose the maximum 10 names:" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  43. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 MLB.com. "How our reporters voted | MLB.com: News". Mlb.mlb.com. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  44. ↑ Berkow, Ira (February 20, 2005). "LIVES; The Final Countdown". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 12, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  45. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Antonen, Mel (December 5, 2006). "McGwire debate heats up". USA Today.
  46. 1 2 3 4 "Pirates Q&A with Dejan Kovacevic". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. January 11, 2007.
  47. ↑ Bradley, Mark (December 8, 2006). "Atlanta Metro News". ajc.com. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  48. ↑ "First-ballot doubts follow McGwire". baltimoresun.com. January 8, 2007. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  49. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "ESPN.com's Hall of Fame Ballot - MLB - ESPN". Sports.espn.go.com. January 9, 2006. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  50. 1 2 3 4 5 "Hall of Famer voters speak out about Clemens - MLB - ESPN". Sports.espn.go.com. December 14, 2007. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  51. ↑ "Ultimate Astros » Just say "No" to any Uggla-to-Houston rumors". Blogs.chron.com. November 14, 2010. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  52. ↑ http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/16183569.htm
  53. ↑ "How The Courant Voted". Hartford Courant. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
  54. 1 2 "ESPN.com - Pudge edges Pedro in AL MVP upset". Sports.espn.go.com. Associated Press. November 17, 1999. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  55. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 FitzGerald, Tom (January 8, 2011). "Should Bonds be in the Hall of Fame?". The San Francisco Chronicle.
  56. ↑ https://www.azcentral.com/sports/cheapseats//articles/1123p2main1123.html
  57. ↑ "Blogs". Daily News. New York.
  58. ↑ Mike Fine [@mikesofine] (January 9, 2014). "@Weird_Meat I'm retired but was given a vote. Not sure I should have one but I voted" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  59. ↑ "John R. Finger Archive". CSNPhilly.com. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  60. ↑ Jeffrey Flanagan [@FlannyMLB] (January 30, 2015). "Enjoyed my years at Fox Sports Kansas City. Today I start my new gig as the #Royals beat writer for. Very excited" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  61. ↑ "Sean Forman of Baseball-Reference Gains Inclusion Into BBWAA". Bizofbaseball.com. December 9, 2009. Archived from the original on July 13, 2007. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  62. 1 2 3 https://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/E52CB4C72DBF6FBD8625725E0017CA1A?OpenDocument
  63. ↑ "The Goessling Game - Orioles, Nationals, Ravens on". Masnsports.com. Archived from the original on October 4, 2011. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  64. ↑ "2015 Hall of Fame voters – BBWAA".
  65. 1 2 "Detroit Local News - Michigan News - Breaking News - detroitnews.com". The Detroit News. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  66. ↑ Bloom, Barry M. (July 10, 2012). "MLB.com's Hagen nominated for Spink Award". MLB.com. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
  67. ↑ "SI.com - A 'no' for Big Mac - Dec 30, 2006". CNN. December 29, 2006.
  68. ↑ "Survey: McGwire's Hall status shaky". USA Today. March 25, 2005.
  69. ↑ "Garry D. Howard's 2014 Hall of Fame Ballot". Archived from the original on January 23, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  70. 1 2 3 4 "CLEVELAND SPORTSNews, Scores, Teams, Stories & More on Northeast OH Sports". Cleveland.com. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  71. ↑ "BBWAA - Badge List". Bizofbaseball.com. December 10, 2007. Archived from the original on July 13, 2007. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  72. ↑ Jenkins, Bruce (January 6, 2011). "HALL OF FAME / Spare the morality play: McGwire deserves induction". The San Francisco Chronicle.
  73. ↑ "The Daily Prospectus: All over the Place, Again". July 24, 2001.
  74. ↑ Kepner, Tyler (January 8, 2013). "Baseball Hall of Fame Voting Process Must Change – Tyler Kepner". The New York Times.
  75. ↑ "Ann Killion, Sports Columnist - San Francisco Chronicle".
  76. ↑ Knapp, Gwen (January 3, 2011). "Caminiti gets Hall vote for honesty". The San Francisco Chronicle.
  77. ↑ "DAILY SOUTHTOWN:: Paul Ladewski:: 'Dew' tell: Ripken, Gwynn votes won't be unanimous". www.dailysouthtown.com. Archived from the original on January 11, 2007.
  78. 1 2 'Duk (September 3, 2009). "BBWAA opens doors wider, admits four more Internet writers - Big League Stew - MLB Blog - Yahoo! Sports". Sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
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  80. 1 2 3 "Hal McCoy". The San Francisco Chronicle.
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  82. ↑ "Which way will the Twins go with their bullpen?".
  83. ↑ "Maddux, Glavine likely to join Cox in HOF class". January 7, 2014.
  84. ↑ "O'Connell's call worth the wait, emotion". USA Today. January 17, 2006.
  85. ↑ Paige, Woody (December 16, 2007). "Paige: Help Woody cast his Hall votes". The Denver Post.
  86. ↑ "Will Barry Bonds be in the Hall of Fame? - ESPN Video - ESPN". Sports.espn.go.com. November 16, 2007. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
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  89. ↑ Lederer, Rich (December 31, 2004). "A Hall of Fame Chat with Tracy Ringolsby". The Baseball Analysts. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  90. ↑ "'Honorary' BBWAA member Larry Rocca clarifies ballot". fansided.com. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  91. ↑ "Ken Rosenthal: Why I'm joining The Athletic - The Athletic". athletic.com. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  92. ↑ Rubin, Roger (May 29, 2007). "Sox lead growing in AL East". Daily News. New York.
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  94. ↑ http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/scripts/mediaplayer/mp_tpl.jsp?w_id=529673&w=/2006/open/features/destination_cooperstown_30min_350.wmv&pid=gen_video&fid=gen_video350&v=2&mType=w&urlstr=&murl=
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  96. ↑ Turner, April (April 20, 2011). "NABJ Honors Pioneering Sports Journalist, ESPN's Claire Smith with Annual Legacy Award". National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). Retrieved October 21, 2011. A member of the Baseball Writers Association of America, Smith has written about sports for over 25 years, for the Philadelphia Bulletin, Hartford Courant, The New York Times, and Philadelphia Inquirer. For over 20 years, her beat was Major League Baseball. In July 2007, she started in a new direction and new industry when she joined ESPN as a news editor, working with the production teams on MLB game broadcasts.
  97. ↑ Smizik, Bob (December 29, 2006). "Smizik: McGwire belongs in Hall of Fame". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  98. ↑ "Jim Souhan: Rejection on election day". StarTribune.com. January 9, 2007. Archived from the original on November 20, 2007. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
  99. ↑ "Go crazy for the Wizard". USA Today. July 24, 2002.
  100. ↑ "Larry Stone". The Seattle Times. May 14, 2011. Archived from the original on August 21, 2012.
  101. ↑ "SI.com - Searching for truth - Jan 2, 2007". CNN. January 2, 2007.
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  103. ↑ "Mark Zuckerman's 2014 Hall of Fame Ballot". Archived from the original on January 13, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2014.

"Baseball Writers Unite." Washington Post, October 15, 1908, p. 9.

Further reading

  • "Red Foley Dies at 79; Scorer in 10 World Series". The New York Times. The Associated Press. July 16, 2008. Retrieved November 19, 2009. He served for many years as an officer of the Baseball Writers' Association of America and was chairman of the New York chapter in 1969-70.
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