Ernie Banks MVP Award (1958)

Lore & Background

Banks' 1958 MVP season was the first time an MVP winner was on a below-.500 team. He batted .313, third best in the NL, and his 47 home runs were a career best.

In Their Own Story

The wind whipped off Lake Michigan, carrying the late-October chill deep into Wrigley Field as the stands slowly emptied. Yet inside the dugout, Ernie Banks stood alone, clutching the silver MVP trophy—a weight far heavier than any bat he had swung all season. A veteran reporter leaned against the railing, shaking his head in disbelief before asking, 'Ernie, how does it feel to be the first Cub in history to hold this?' Banks smiled, that familiar, radiant grin cutting through the fatigue. He looked out toward the empty diamond where he had fought every day, knowing that for one brief, shining season, the struggle had ended, and the world was finally watching.

Reader's Guide

Banks won the National League MVP Award in 1958 and again in 1959, the first NL player to achieve back-to-back MVPs. In 1958, he led the league in home runs (47) and RBI (129).

Did You Know?

• Banks was the first NL player to win back-to-back MVP Awards, in 1958 and 1959.
• In 1958, Banks led the major leagues with 47 home runs and led the NL with 129 RBI.
• Banks' 1958 MVP was the first time an MVP winner played for a team with a below-.500 record.