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amead17 · 01-26-2026, 12:58 PM

BASEBALL’S BEST HONORED AT ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER

By Samuel T. Kingsley, Sporting Times
November 2nd, 1915

The annual gathering of the game’s finest took place in New York last evening, as players, officials, and scribes assembled to mark the close of the 1915 campaign with the presentation of the season’s principal honors. It was a night devoted to recognition of steady excellence rather than fleeting brilliance, and the awards reflected the men who carried their clubs through the long summer grind.

In the American League, the game’s highest individual honor was bestowed upon Tris Speaker of the Cleveland Indians. Long regarded as one of the league’s most reliable performers, Speaker crowned his season by being named Most Valuable Player. The Cleveland center fielder fashioned a batting mark of .301, collecting twenty-one doubles and seventeen triples, while driving in fifty-two runs. His consistent play earned him thirteen of the sixteen first-place votes cast, comfortably placing him ahead of Cy Williams of the St. Louis Browns, who finished second, and Braggo Roth of the Philadelphia Athletics, who placed third.

The pitching laurels in the American League went decisively to Jeff Tesreau of the St. Louis Browns, who captured Pitcher of the Year honors by unanimous vote. Tesreau was a pillar of strength throughout the season, compiling a record of twenty-two victories against eleven defeats across thirty-nine starts. Over more than three hundred thirty innings, he struck out one hundred seventy-five batters, posted a sterling earned run average of 2.00, and limited opposing hitters to a .202 mark. Juan Padron of Cleveland and Eddie Cicotte of Washington followed him in the voting.

Padron, however, was not left without distinction. The young Cleveland right-hander was named American League Rookie of the Year after a heavy workload in his first full season. Making forty starts, Padron logged over three hundred thirty-four innings, won twenty-two games, and recorded a 2.07 earned run average. His performance earned him eight first-place votes, edging Happy Felsch of the Washington Senators, with Dave Bancroft of the Chicago White Sox placing third.

Across the senior circuit, the National League awards were equally emphatic. Eddie Collins of the Brooklyn Robins completed a magnificent season by being unanimously selected as the league’s Most Valuable Player. Collins struck for a .349 average, amassed one hundred eighty-nine hits, and drove in ninety-five runs while crossing the plate one hundred six times himself. His commanding performance left Gavvy Cravath of the Boston Braves and Ty Cobb of the Philadelphia Phillies trailing in the voting.

The National League Pitcher of the Year honor went, also by unanimous decision, to Brooklyn’s Walter Johnson. The Robins’ ace authored a remarkable campaign, winning twenty-seven games while losing only nine. In thirty-eight starts, Johnson hurled three hundred thirty-six innings, compiled a 1.88 earned run average, struck out one hundred ninety-seven batters, and held opponents to a .222 average. Grover Cleveland Alexander, his teammate, finished second, with Carl Weilman of the New York Giants third.

Rounding out the evening’s honors was the National League Rookie of the Year award, which went to Tommy Griffith of the Philadelphia Phillies. The young right fielder appeared in one hundred fifty-three games and impressed with a .299 batting average, one hundred seventy-five hits, five home runs, and eighty-two runs batted in. He narrowly topped Babe Ruth of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the voting, with Ivan Howard of the St. Louis Cardinals close behind.

As the dinner concluded and the speeches faded into handshakes and applause, the message of the night was clear: the 1915 season had produced no shortage of worthy performances, and the men honored in New York now stand as fitting symbols of a year well played.

01-26-2026, 12:58 PM	#701
amead17 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 9,288	BASEBALL’S BEST HONORED AT ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER By Samuel T. Kingsley, Sporting Times November 2nd, 1915 The annual gathering of the game’s finest took place in New York last evening, as players, officials, and scribes assembled to mark the close of the 1915 campaign with the presentation of the season’s principal honors. It was a night devoted to recognition of steady excellence rather than fleeting brilliance, and the awards reflected the men who carried their clubs through the long summer grind. In the American League, the game’s highest individual honor was bestowed upon Tris Speaker of the Cleveland Indians. Long regarded as one of the league’s most reliable performers, Speaker crowned his season by being named Most Valuable Player. The Cleveland center fielder fashioned a batting mark of .301, collecting twenty-one doubles and seventeen triples, while driving in fifty-two runs. His consistent play earned him thirteen of the sixteen first-place votes cast, comfortably placing him ahead of Cy Williams of the St. Louis Browns, who finished second, and Braggo Roth of the Philadelphia Athletics, who placed third. The pitching laurels in the American League went decisively to Jeff Tesreau of the St. Louis Browns, who captured Pitcher of the Year honors by unanimous vote. Tesreau was a pillar of strength throughout the season, compiling a record of twenty-two victories against eleven defeats across thirty-nine starts. Over more than three hundred thirty innings, he struck out one hundred seventy-five batters, posted a sterling earned run average of 2.00, and limited opposing hitters to a .202 mark. Juan Padron of Cleveland and Eddie Cicotte of Washington followed him in the voting. Padron, however, was not left without distinction. The young Cleveland right-hander was named American League Rookie of the Year after a heavy workload in his first full season. Making forty starts, Padron logged over three hundred thirty-four innings, won twenty-two games, and recorded a 2.07 earned run average. His performance earned him eight first-place votes, edging Happy Felsch of the Washington Senators, with Dave Bancroft of the Chicago White Sox placing third. Across the senior circuit, the National League awards were equally emphatic. Eddie Collins of the Brooklyn Robins completed a magnificent season by being unanimously selected as the league’s Most Valuable Player. Collins struck for a .349 average, amassed one hundred eighty-nine hits, and drove in ninety-five runs while crossing the plate one hundred six times himself. His commanding performance left Gavvy Cravath of the Boston Braves and Ty Cobb of the Philadelphia Phillies trailing in the voting. The National League Pitcher of the Year honor went, also by unanimous decision, to Brooklyn’s Walter Johnson. The Robins’ ace authored a remarkable campaign, winning twenty-seven games while losing only nine. In thirty-eight starts, Johnson hurled three hundred thirty-six innings, compiled a 1.88 earned run average, struck out one hundred ninety-seven batters, and held opponents to a .222 average. Grover Cleveland Alexander, his teammate, finished second, with Carl Weilman of the New York Giants third. Rounding out the evening’s honors was the National League Rookie of the Year award, which went to Tommy Griffith of the Philadelphia Phillies. The young right fielder appeared in one hundred fifty-three games and impressed with a .299 batting average, one hundred seventy-five hits, five home runs, and eighty-two runs batted in. He narrowly topped Babe Ruth of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the voting, with Ivan Howard of the St. Louis Cardinals close behind. As the dinner concluded and the speeches faded into handshakes and applause, the message of the night was clear: the 1915 season had produced no shortage of worthy performances, and the men honored in New York now stand as fitting symbols of a year well played.