2025 Lifetime Achievement Awards 

PBPA Honors Walter Iooss Jr. and Five Historical Legends at Winter Meetings Ceremony

The Professional Baseball Photographers’ Association gathered during the MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando to celebrate the craft, history, and community of baseball photography, hosting its second annual Lifetime Achievement Awards ceremony in front of an audience that reflected the full ecosystem of the game. Team photographers, editors, , industry partners, and longtime supporters of both baseball and photography came together for an evening centered on legacy and continuity.

Held amid the energy of the Winter Meetings, the ceremony underscored the PBPA’s mission to recognize those who have shaped how baseball is visually documented and remembered. PBPA President Alex Trautwig opened the evening by acknowledging the growth of the organization since its inaugural awards event the year prior.

“Last year we proved there was a real appetite for this kind of recognition,” Trautwig said. “This year, seeing this room filled with the people who actually make baseball photography happen every day confirms that this organization is doing something meaningful.”

The evening honored five historical photographers whose work laid the foundation for modern baseball photography: George Burke, George Brace, William C. Greene, Carl J. Horner, and Bruce Murray Sr. Each name was met with recognition and reflection, reinforcing the PBPA’s commitment to preserving the medium’s deep and often under-acknowledged history.

“These photographers didn’t just take pictures,” Trautwig noted. “They built the visual record of the game at a time when access, equipment, and recognition were far from guaranteed. Everything we do today stands on their shoulders.”

The centerpiece of the evening was the presentation of the PBPA Contemporary Lifetime Achievement Award to Walter Iooss Jr., widely regarded as one of the most influential sports photographers of all time. Although Iooss was unable to attend in person, he addressed the room through a recorded message that was met with sustained applause.

Trautwig spoke candidly about the significance of honoring Iooss as the first contemporary recipient of the award.

“Walter’s work doesn’t just document baseball history — it defines how generations of fans remember the game,” he said. “But just as important as the images is the way he approached the craft: with patience, respect, and an understanding that the quiet moments often matter as much as the big ones.”

“There’s no better place to have this conversation than here,” Trautwig said. “The Winter Meetings bring together everyone who helps shape the game — and photographers are an essential part of that ecosystem. We don’t just record baseball’s history; we help define it.”

The ceremony concluded with a renewed sense of purpose for the organization as it looks ahead to another year of advocacy, education, and historical preservation. For many in attendance, the night served as both a celebration of the past and a reminder of the responsibility carried by those currently documenting the game.

As the PBPA continues to grow, the Lifetime Achievement Awards have quickly become a cornerstone of its mission — honoring the photographers who built the foundation, celebrating those who expanded the craft, and reaffirming the role of photography as an indispensable part of baseball’s story.