Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award

In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is given to the best first-year players in the American and National Leagues.

From 1940-46, the Chicago chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) selected a rookie of the year. In 1947, they invited all members of the BBWAA to vote. Coincidentally, 1947 was the year in which Jackie Robinson became the first African American player in modern major league history and he won the first one. Originally the award was known as the J. Louis Comiskey Memorial Award, after the Chicago White Sox owner of the 1930s. In 1987, in honor of the 40th year since Jackie Robinson broke the color line, it became known as the Jackie Robinson Award.

Only two players, both in the American League, have been named Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same year, Fred Lynn in 1975 and Ichiro Suzuki in 2001. The only Rookie of the Year to win the Cy Young Award in the same year was Fernando Valenzuela in 1981.

What qualifies as a rookie?

In order to qualify for the award a player must not exceed either of the following, prior to the season under consideration:

• 130 at bats or 50 innings pitched in the major leagues
• 45 days on the active rosters of major league clubs (excluding time on the disabled list or any time after rosters are expanded on September 1)

International experience

The award has come under scrutiny in recent years, as several Japanese players (namely Hideo Nomo in 1995, Kazuhiro Sasaki in 2000, and Ichiro Suzuki in 2001) with prior experience in Japan have won the award during their first year playing in the United States. While rookies to Major League Baseball, these players were already tested professionals before coming to the United States, leading some baseball writers to question whether they should be considered true rookies. However, the policy remains in place that experience outside the U.S. major leagues does not affect one's status as a rookie. The issue was raised again in 2003, as Hideki Matsui narrowly lost the balloting to Angel Berroa.

List of Rookie of the Year winners

Major Leagues combined (1947-48)

Year	Player, Team, Position
1947	Jackie Robinson, Brooklyn Dodgers, 1B
1948	Alvin Dark, Boston Braves, SS

National and American League winners (1949-present)

Year	National League	American League
1949	Don Newcombe, Brooklyn Dodgers, P	Roy Sievers, St. Louis Browns, OF
1950	Sam Jethroe, Boston Braves, OF	Walt Dropo, Boston Red Sox, 1B
1951	Willie Mays, New York Giants, OF	Gil McDougald, New York Yankees, 3B
1952	Joe Black, Brooklyn Dodgers, P	Harry Byrd, Philadelphia Athletics, P
1953	Jim Gilliam, Brooklyn Dodgers, 2B	Harvey Kuenn, Detroit Tigers, SS
1954	Wally Moon, St. Louis Cardinals, OF	Bob Grim, New York Yankees, P
1955	Bill Virdon, St. Louis Cardinals, OF	Herb Score, Cleveland Indians, P
1956	Frank Robinson, Cincinnati Reds, OF	Luis Aparicio, Chicago White Sox, SS
1957	Jack Sanford, Philadelphia Phillies, P	Tony Kubek, New York Yankees, SS
1958	Orlando Cepeda, San Francisco Giants, 1B	Albie Pearson, Washington Senators, OF
1959	Willie McCovey, San Francisco Giants, 1B	Bob Allison, Washington Senators, OF
1960	Frank Howard, Los Angeles Dodgers, OF	Ron Hansen, Baltimore Orioles, SS
1961	Billy Williams, Chicago Cubs, OF	Don Schwall, Boston Red Sox, P
1962	Ken Hubbs, Chicago Cubs, 2B	Tom Tresh, New York Yankees, SS
1963	Pete Rose, Cincinnati Reds	Gary Peters, Chicago White Sox, P
1964	Dick Allen, Philadelphia Phillies	Tony Oliva, Minnesota Twins, OF
1965	Jim Lefebvre, Los Angeles Dodgers, 2B	Curt Blefary, Baltimore Orioles, OF
1966	Tommy Helms, Cincinnati Reds, 2B	Tommie Agee, Chicago White Sox, OF
1967	Tom Seaver, New York Mets, P	Rod Carew, Minnesota Twins, 2B
1968	Johnny Bench, Cincinnati Reds, C	Stan Bahnsen, New York Yankees, P
1969	Ted Sizemore, Los Angeles Dodgers, 2B	Lou Piniella, Kansas City Royals, OF
1970	Carl Morton, Montreal Expos, P	Thurman Munson, New York Yankees, C
1971	Earl Williams, Atlanta Braves, C	Chris Chambliss, Cleveland Indians, 1B
1972	Jon Matlack, New York Mets, P	Carlton Fisk, Boston Red Sox, C
1973	Gary Matthews, San Francisco Giants, OF	Al Bumbry, Baltimore Orioles, OF
1974	Bake McBride, St. Louis Cardinals, OF	Mike Hargrove, Texas Rangers, 1B
1975	John Montefusco, San Francisco Giants, P	Fred Lynn, Boston Red Sox, OF
1976	Butch Metzger, San Diego Padres, P Pat Zachry, Cincinnati Reds, P	Mark Fidrych, Detroit Tigers, P
1977	Andre Dawson, Montreal Expos, OF	Eddie Murray, Baltimore Orioles, DH
1978	Bob Horner, Atlanta Braves, 3B	Lou Whitaker, Detroit Tigers, 2B
1979	Rick Sutcliffe, Los Angeles Dodgers, P	John Castino, Minnesota Twins, 3B Alfredo Griffin, Toronto Blue Jays, SS
1980	Steve Howe, Los Angeles Dodgers, P	Joe Charboneau, Cleveland Indians, OF
1981	Fernando Valenzuela, Los Angeles Dodgers, P	Dave Righetti, New York Yankees, P
1982	Steve Sax, Los Angeles Dodgers, 2B	Cal Ripken, Jr., Baltimore Orioles, SS
1983	Darryl Strawberry, New York Mets, OF	Ron Kittle, Chicago White Sox, OF
1984	Dwight Gooden, New York Mets, P	Alvin Davis, Seattle Mariners, 1B
1985	Vince Coleman, St. Louis Cardinals, OF	Ozzie Guillen, Chicago White Sox, SS
1986	Todd Worrell, St. Louis Cardinals, P	José Canseco, Oakland Athletics, OF
1987	Benito Santiago, San Diego Padres, C	Mark McGwire, Oakland Athletics, 1B
1988	Chris Sabo, Cincinnati Reds, 3B	Walt Weiss, Oakland Athletics, SS
1989	Jerome Walton, Chicago Cubs, OF	Gregg Olson, Baltimore Orioles, P
1990	David Justice, Atlanta Braves, OF	Sandy Alomar, Jr., Cleveland Indians, C
1991	Jeff Bagwell, Houston Astros, 1B	Chuck Knoblauch, Minnesota Twins, 2B
1992	Eric Karros, Los Angeles Dodgers, 1B	Pat Listach, Milwaukee Brewers, SS
1993	Mike Piazza, Los Angeles Dodgers, C	Tim Salmon, California Angels, OF
1994	Raul Mondesi, Los Angeles Dodgers, OF	Bob Hamelin, Kansas City Royals, DH
1995	Hideo Nomo, Los Angeles Dodgers, P	Marty Cordova, Minnesota Twins, OF
1996	Todd Hollandsworth, Los Angeles Dodgers, OF	Derek Jeter, New York Yankees, SS
1997	Scott Rolen, Philadelphia Phillies, 3B	Nomar Garciaparra, Boston Red Sox, SS
1998	Kerry Wood, Chicago Cubs, P	Ben Grieve, Oakland Athletics, OF
1999	Scott Williamson, Cincinnati Reds, P	Carlos Beltrán, Kansas City Royals, OF
2000	Rafael Furcal, Atlanta Braves, SS	Kazuhiro Sasaki, Seattle Mariners, P
2001	Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals, 3B-OF	Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners, OF
2002	Jason Jennings, Colorado Rockies, P	Eric Hinske, Toronto Blue Jays, 3B
2003	Dontrelle Willis, Florida Marlins, P	Angel Berroa, Kansas City Royals, SS
2004	Jason Bay, Pittsburgh Pirates, OF	Bobby Crosby, Oakland Athletics, SS
2005	Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies, 1B	Huston Street, Oakland Athletics, P
2006	Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins, SS	Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers, P
2007

External links

• Rookie of the Year / Jackie Robinson Award on Baseball Almanac