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"—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. Awards were later added for baseball writers and philanthropists.
History
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. For the next nine years (2001–2009), each year's awards were presented at a banquet in January or February of the following year. Proceeds from the Legacy Awards annual banquets were used for the benefit of the museum.
In 2010, there was no banquet. Instead, the awards were presented at separate events at the museum and in various major-league ballparks through the spring of 2011. The 12th annual awards (for 2011) were presented at an awards banquet on January 28, 2012.
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. The logistics of off-season travel were the primary reason cited by Kendrick for this change. 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.
The "Hall of Game Award", established in 2014, is the only award actively presented since 2018.
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.
Active awards
Hall of Game Award
The Hall of Game Award was introduced by the NLBM on February 13, 2014. 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.
2014: Lou Brock, Roberto Clemente, Joe Morgan, Dave Winfield
2015: Rickey Henderson, Ferguson Jenkins, Ozzie Smith, Luis Tiant
2016: Orlando Cepeda, Andre Dawson, Tony Oliva, Tim Raines
2017: Al Oliver, Tony Pérez, Lee Smith, Maury Wills
2018: Dick Allen, Kenny Lofton, Eddie Murray, J. R. Richard
Note: Mudcat Grant was originally slated for induction but was unable to attend. 2019: Eric Davis, Fred McGriff, Dave Parker, Dave Stewart