Who won "The Sporting News" Major League Player of the Year award for 1993?

Frank Thomas won The Sporting News Major League Player of the Year award for 1993.

The Chicago White Sox first baseman and designated hitter earned the honor after a spectacular offensive season. Thomas batted .317 with 41 home runs, 128 runs batted in, and a .607 slugging percentage. He also led the American League in on-base percentage and slugging percentage.

The award was decided in a remarkably close poll: Thomas edged San Francisco Giants star Barry Bonds by 161 votes to 159. That result is sometimes confused with the 1993 National League MVP award, which Bonds won. Thomas, however, won the American League MVP and The Sporting News' overall Major League Player of the Year award.

Thomas's 1993 season began a run of back-to-back American League MVP victories; he also won the AL MVP in 1994. Known as “The Big Hurt,” he became one of baseball's premier power hitters and was later inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014.