The Baseball Writers’ Association of America on Friday announced it is removing the name of former MLB commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis — who failed to integrate MLB in his 25 years as commissioner — from the American League and National League Most Valuable Players awards.
BBWAA president Paul Sullivan said in a statement that during the summer both Terry Pendleton and Barry Larkin — two retired Black players who each won the NL MVP in their career — spoke of their “discomfort” of Landis’ name on the awards, and the association then began the process of removing Landis’ name. In the time since, numerous former players (including other MVP winners) have voiced their desire to have the name removed.
According to reports, the vote this week to remove Landis’ name was 89 percent to 11 percent in favor of removal.
The awards will not have a name attached to them for 2020, and the BBWAA will look into the possibility of naming the awards after another person or people for 2021.
MLB will redesign the MVP trophies, said Jack O’Connell, BBWAA secretary-treasurer. The AL and NL winners of the award will be announced on Nov. 12.
Landis, who was MLB’s first commissioner in 1920, gave the BBWAA control of the MVP voting process in 1931, and the organization renamed the awards after Landis in 1944. He died a month later, while still serving as commissioner.
Jackie Robinson broke MLB’s color barrier in 1947.
© 2020 Thomson/Reuters. All rights reserved.
