But after Harper accepted his plaque — “That’s pretty!” he said as former pitcher Ferguson Jenkins handed it to him — and his nerves wore off, his emotions carried him. Harper was earnest and grateful in his appreciation of the Washington Nationals, their fans, his teammates and friends, and even the writer’s association for making him the youngest unanimous MVP in history. “Humbled to know that you all felt I deserved this award,” he said.

Yet at every mention of his family, Harper’s voice quivered. He stopped to collect himself, especially when talking about his father, Ron, a former Las Vegas steelworker who taught him how to play baseball and he considers a best friend.

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“My pops sacrificed everything to help me fulfill my dream,” Harper said, standing before the microphone in, fittingly, a custom blue suit and red bow tie. “Countless hours of BP [batting practice]. Groundballs. … The thing I loved the most, on the hot summer days, that we’d always get Slurpees and Funyuns. No matter what. That or our strawberry shakes. He always made it fun no matter what. If he could get up at three a.m. in the blazing heat or freezing cold to provide for my family, then I would give anything in this world to thank him every single day and tell him how much I love him. I appreciate you Pops.”

Harper’s family, his agent Scott Boras and his associates were in attendance. Harper looked down at the speech on his phone and at his parents as he shared how they shaped and supported him. He also got emotional talking about his mother, Sheri.

“You showed me to have heart and how to care and be the best person I could off the field,” Harper said. “She keeps the family going and strong and always reiterates, ‘Remember who you are every single time you walk out the door.’ She sacrificed so much.”

Harper thanked his older brother, Bryan — “I always looked up him” — and his sister, Brittany, who couldn’t make it to the ceremony, for their help throughout his life. “She was my therapist growing up,” he said. “I would lie on her bed and talk about girls, sports, fashion, life, just about anything.” One of Harper’s dreams is to play with his brother, a left-handed reliever who reached Class AAA Syracuse in the Nationals’ minor leagues last season, in the majors one day.

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“He is the only person who 100 percent understands the struggles and the grind of this game,” Harper said. “I can’t wait to play right field when you get that call up. Can’t wait.”

Of all of the friends and teammates in his life, Harper singled out two from his six years with the Nationals: Jayson Werth and Ian Desmond, people who have been there through the highs and lows, disagreements and laughs.

“You are family and I can’t thank you fellas enough,” Harper said. “Me and Desi used to have the same motto all year, whether 0 for 4, or 4 for 4, or someone was screaming from the stands, we’d always say: ‘It don’t matter.’ When he’d walk in the clubhouse: ‘Big kid, it don’t matter.’ ”

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Harper also mentioned Boras and Bill Gluvna, the former Nationals media relations manager who was hired by Boras to help Harper. And to the Nationals and fans, Harper was especially appreciative.

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“Mr. and Mrs. Lerner, Mark Lerner, Mike Rizzo, thank you for giving me an opportunity to play every single day,” he said. “It’s a blessing and I can’t thank you enough. To the fans of D.C. and all you’ve done for our team, you’re the best in the world. Lastly, I want to thank God for giving me these talents.”

Despite a season in which he set many Nationals records, one of the best all-around offensive seasons in recent baseball history, Harper insisted he wasn’t fully happy with 2015.

“I play for a great team and great management and great fans,” Harper said. “And although this trophy represents the great year that I had, I’m still not satisfied as a player. I fell short. The most important thing about a professional athlete is how those athletes help make it one of the best teams in baseball. However, this year wasn’t our year. I hope I can continue to stay healthy and build on a 2015 MVP campaign for years to come in D.C. and win a World Series.”

The night had moments of levity, too. Harper laughed at the many jokes delivered by Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson as he presented awards for others, and at the humor of former pitcher Tommy John, who received an award.

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Harper was even the butt of some laughs. Barry Zito, who received an award along with former Athletics teammates Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson, told a story about selecting his own “All Dreamy Team” years ago, and choosing Buster Posey, Jake Arrieta and Harper for their respective positions. Zito said he had asked Dan Haren, who was then a teammate of Harper’s in Washington, for Harper’s autograph.

“I just want to say in person, thank you very much Bryce,” Zito said, shaking Harper’s hand as the room erupted in laughter.

The ceremony was shorter than in the past. The New York chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America hosts the annual black-tie dinner to hand out the major end-of-season awards in January, but nearly two feet of snow forced a last-minute cancellation of the dinner and a private ceremony for players and their families.