Bill White Wins O’Neil Award
COOPERSTOWN—The Board of Directors of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum announced that Bill White won the 2026 John Jordan “Buck” O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding contribution to baseball. He is the seventh winner of this award, established in 2007 to honor O’Neil’s eight decades contributing to baseball and its societal impact.
Signed by the New York Giants in 1953, White found rapid success on the baseball diamond and helped desegregate several leagues during his time in the minors. He made it to the big leagues with the Giants in 1956, served in the Army for two years and was traded to the Cardinals in 1959.
He won seven straight Gold Gloves at first base in the 1960s and finished third in National League MVP voting after leading the Cardinals to the 1964 championship.After a few years with the Phillies, he retired as a Cardinal in 1969 with a .286 career batting average, 202 home runs and eight All-Star selections.
White spent 18 years as a broadcaster for the Yankees. As president of the National League from 1989-1994, he oversaw the expansion that created the Marlins and Rockies and was one of the nation’s highest-ranking Black sports executives.
White, 92, will be honored at the Awards Presentation as part of Hall of Fame Weekend on Saturday, July 25. The Buck O’Neil Award is open to public nominations at any time, with the deadline for the 2027 award on June 30. Submissions must be made by mail. For more information, visit baseballhall.org.
