The Southern Association Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) was an annual award given to the best player in Minor League Baseball's Southern Association based on their regular-season performance as voted on by league sportswriters. Early iterations of the honor were voted on by league managers. Though the league was established in 1901, the award was not created until 1936. It continued to be issued through the 1961 season, after which the league disbanded.
Two players won the award twice: Ted Cieslak, who won back-to-back in 1945 and 1946, and Stan Palys, the winner in 1957 and 1960.
Eleven outfielders won the MVP Award, the most of any position. Catchers and first basemen, each with three winners, won the most among infielders, followed by second baseman and third baseman (2). Six pitchers also won the award.
Eight players from the Nashville Vols were selected for the MVP Award, more than any other team in the league, followed by the Atlanta Crackers (4); the Birmingham Barons, Little Rock Travelers, Memphis Chicks, and Mobile Bears (3); and the Chattanooga Lookouts, Knoxville Smokies, and New Orleans Pelicans (1).
Four players from the Chicago Cubs Major League Baseball (MLB) organization won the MVP Award, more than any other, followed by the Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers organizations (3); the Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Giants, and Pittsburgh Pirates organizations (2); the Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Browns, and Washington Senators organizations (1). Five players were from teams unaffiliated with any MLB organization.
Winners
+KeyPositionIndicates the player's primary positionNumber of wins by players who have won the award multiple times^Indicates multiple award winners in the same year
+WinnersYearWinnerTeamOrganizationPosition 1936Little Rock TravelersBoston Red SoxOutfielder1937Memphis ChicksUnaffiliated1938New Orleans PelicansCleveland IndiansPitcher1939Knoxville SmokiesPittsburgh PiratesFirst baseman1940^Nashville VolsBrooklyn DodgersCatcher1940^Atlanta CrackersUnaffiliatedOutfielder1941Pittsburgh PiratesFirst baseman1942Little Rock TravelersUnaffiliatedSecond baseman1943Nashville VolsChicago CubsOutfielder1944Memphis ChicksSt. Louis Browns1945 Atlanta CrackersUnaffiliatedThird baseman1946 1947Mobile BearsBrooklyn DodgersCatcher1948Nashville VolsChicago CubsOutfielder1949Catcher1950Pitcher1951Little Rock TravelersDetroit TigersOutfielder1952Chattanooga LookoutsWashington SenatorsSecond baseman1953Nashville VolsNew York GiantsPitcher1954Outfielder1955Memphis ChicksChicago White Sox1956Mobile BearsCleveland IndiansPitcher1957 Nashville VolsCincinnati RedsOutfielder1958Birmingham BaronsDetroit TigersPitcher1959Mobile BearsCleveland IndiansFirst baseman1960 Birmingham BaronsDetroit TigersOutfielder1961Pitcher
Wins by team Team Award(s) Year(s)Nashville Vols81940, 1943, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1953, 1954, 1957Atlanta Crackers41940, 1941, 1945, 1946Birmingham Barons31958, 1960, 1961Little Rock Travelers1936, 1942, 1951Memphis Chicks1937, 1944, 1955Mobile Bears1947, 1956, 1959Chattanooga Lookouts11952Knoxville Smokies1939New Orleans Pelicans1939
Wins by organization
Organization Award(s) Year(s)Chicago Cubs41943, 1948, 1949, 1950Detroit Tigers1951, 1958, 1960, 1961Cleveland Indians31938, 1956, 1959Brooklyn Dodgers21940, 1947New York Giants1953, 1954Pittsburgh Pirates1939, 1941Boston Red Sox11936Chicago White Sox1955Cincinnati Reds1957St. Louis Browns1944Washington Senators1952
References Specific
General