Legacy Awards (NLBM)


The Legacy Awards are presented annually by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum to the best players, managers, and executives in each league of Major League Baseball, for on- and off-the-field achievement. The awards—for performance and achievement—are named for legendary players of Negro Leagues Baseball. The awards were first presented for the 2000 Major League Baseball season.
The first Legacy Awards—in 2000—were presented in November at the "Legacy 2000 Players’ Reunion and Awards Banquet", which was organized to honor the tenth anniversary of the opening of the museum and the eightieth anniversary of the establishment of the Negro National League. For the next nine years, each year's awards were presented at a banquet in January or February of the following year. 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 twelfth annual awards were presented at an awards banquet on January 28, 2012.
In January, 2013 Negro Leagues Baseball Museum President Bob Kendrick announced that the 2013 awards banquet would be the final one held. All further awards will be presented to the 2010 awards, at various MLB ballparks or if the award winner happens to be in Kansas City with his team to play against the Royals. The logistics of off-season travel were the primary reason cited by Kendrick for the permanent change. Indeed, of all those honored for their 2012 season only the Padres Everth Cabrera, traveling from his off-season home in Nicaragua, was able to make it to Kansas City for the January 12th banquet and presentation. Previously, the proceeds from the Legacy Awards annual banquet were used for the benefit of the museum.

Awards

The Hall of Game Award was established by the NLBM on February 13, 2014. The Hall of Game annually honors former Major League Baseball 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.
The Oscar Charleston Legacy Award is given annually to the "Most Valuable Players" in the National and American leagues.

Leroy "Satchel" Paige Legacy Award

The Satchel Paige Legacy Award was given annually to the best pitchers in the National and American leagues.
The Wilbur "Bullet" Rogan Legacy Award is given annually to the "Pitchers of the Year" in the National and American leagues.
The Larry Doby Legacy Award is given annually to the "Rookies of the Year" in the National and American leagues.
The Hilton Smith Legacy Award is given annually to the "Relievers of the Year" in the National and American leagues.
The Walter "Buck" Leonard Legacy Award is given annually to the batting champions in the National and American leagues.
The Josh Gibson Legacy Award is given annually to the "Home Run" leaders in the National and American leagues.
The James "Cool Papa" Bell Legacy Award is given annually to the "Stolen Base" leaders in the National and American leagues.
The Charles Isham "C. I." Taylor Legacy Award is given annually to the "Managers of the Year" in the National and American leagues.
The Andrew "Rube" Foster Legacy Award is given annually to the "Executives of the Year" in the National and American leagues.
The Kansas City Monarchs Legacy Award is given annually to the Royals player and/or pitcher of the year.
The John Henry "Pop" Lloyd Legacy Award is given annually in recognition of "Baseball and Community Leadership".
The Sam Lacy Legacy Award is given annually to the "Baseball Writer of the Year".
The Jackie Robinson Lifetime Achievement Award is given annually for "Career Excellence in the Face of Adversity".
The Buck O'Neil Legacy Award is given annually to a local or national corporate/private philanthropist for "Outstanding Support of the NLBM".