Slusser becomes first female president of BBWAA
San Francisco Chronicle writer Susan Slusser made history Saturday when she was elected the first female president of the Baseball Writers Association of America, which was founded in 1908.
Slusser has covered the Oakland Athletics for the Chronicle for 14 years. Previously, she covered the Texas Rangers for the Dallas Morning News.
The BBWAA's outgoing president was the Los Angeles Times' Bill Shaikin.
Slusser was elected vice president last year, and the vice president typically becomes the president the following year.
"I'm proud and honored because this is an organization I care deeply about," Slusser told her own newspaper. "I don't like thinking of myself as a woman reporter, rather just as a reporter. I'm thrilled to lead this organization."
La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune was elected vice president, putting him in line to be the BBWAA's first African-American president next year.
The BBWAA is best known to the public for voting on the Most Valuable Player, Cy Young, Rookie of Year and Manager of the Year awards. The group, which includes more than 700 members, also advocates regarding the working conditions of baseball writers.
