Should the BBWAA Remove Spink’s Name from Baseball Writers’ Award Over Racism?
The J.G. Taylor Spink Award is annually awarded to a baseball writer [or writers] “for meritorious contributions to baseball writing.” Given since 1962, this award is presented during Hall of Fame Weekend by the President of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA).
The award is named after its first recipient, baseball writer J.G. Taylor Spink. However, being that Spink believed in keeping baseball segregated in the 1940’s, is it time to rename the award? U.S.A. Today’s Bob Nightengale believes that the answer to this question is “yes.”
“[J.G. Taylor Spinks] was a man with strong racist views,” writes Bob Nightengale. “He fought against integration in baseball, wanting to keep it segregated as long as possible, and shared his views in editorials [. . .] It’s time for the BBWAA to remove the name — J.G. Taylor Spink — associated with the greatest honor given annually to a baseball writer.”
Hall of Fame Vice President of Communications and Education, Jon Shestakofsky, states that conversation will be held around the topic. The writers of the BBWAA are set to host a meeting about the award in December.
What are your thoughts on this possible change? Comment below.
