Hank Aaron Award
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The Hank Aaron Award is an annual award in Major League Baseball awarded to the top hitter in each league. It was introduced in 1999 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Hank Aaron's surpassing of Babe Ruth's career home run mark.
In 1999, a winner was selected using an objective points system. Hits, home runs, and runs batted in were given certain point values and the winner was the player who had the highest tabulated points total. The system was changed in 2000, however, to a ballot system, whereby each club's radio and television play-by-play broadcasters and color analysts were given three player votes for each league. The first place vote receives five points, the second place vote receives three points, and the third place vote receives one point, and again the winner is the player with the highest point total. Beginning in 2003, fans were given the opportunity to vote through the MLB.com website. Fan's votes accounted for 30% of the points, with broadcaster's and analyst's votes accounting for the other 70%.
The award is sponsored by Century 21 Real Estate.
[edit] Hank Aaron Award winners
| Year | League | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | American | Manny Ramírez | Cleveland Indians |
| National | Sammy Sosa | Chicago Cubs | |
| 2000 | American | Carlos Delgado | Toronto Blue Jays |
| National | Todd Helton | Colorado Rockies | |
| 2001 | American | Alex Rodriguez | Texas Rangers |
| National | Barry Bonds | San Francisco Giants | |
| 2002 | American | Alex Rodriguez (2) | Texas Rangers |
| National | Barry Bonds (2) | San Francisco Giants | |
| 2003 | American | Alex Rodriguez (3) | Texas Rangers |
| National | Albert Pujols | St. Louis Cardinals | |
| 2004 | American | Manny Ramírez (2) | Boston Red Sox |
| National | Barry Bonds (3) | San Francisco Giants | |
| 2005 | American | David Ortiz | Boston Red Sox |
| National | Andruw Jones | Atlanta Braves | |
| 2006 | American | Derek Jeter | New York Yankees |
| National | Ryan Howard | Philadelphia Phillies | |
| 2007 | American | Alex Rodriguez (4) | New York Yankees |
| National | Prince Fielder | Milwaukee Brewers |
