Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year
Since its inception in 1954, Sports Illustrated magazine has annually presented the "Sportsman of the Year" award to "the athlete or team whose performance that year most embodies the spirit of sportsmanship and achievement." Both Americans and non-Americans are eligible, though in the past the vast majority of winners have been from the United States. Both men and women have won the award, it being renamed as "Sportswoman" or "Sportswomen" and currently "sportsperson of the year".
Tiger Woods is the only individual who has received the award more than once; he received his first award in 1996 as an amateur golfer, and in 2000 as a professional golfer.
The trophy is a ceramic replica of an ancient Greek amphora (circa 510 BCE) which depicts nude male Hellenistic athletes engaged in a variety of Athletic activities- running, discus and javelin. It measures 8" in diameter and stands 18.5" high (20.32 x 47 cm). The original amphorae was acquired by Sports Illustrated magazine in 1954 and was donated to the "Sports" collection of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in 1979.[1] Winners of the award are now presented with a copy of the amphora made in silver by Tiffany & Co.[2]
Winners
The award's trophy, a ceramic urn depicting Great athletes, has been given to the following recipients:
Year | Winner | Nationality | Sport | Achievement |
---|---|---|---|---|
1954 | Bannister, RogerRoger Bannister | ![]() | Track and field | First sub-four-minute mile |
1955 | Podres, JohnnyJohnny Podres | ![]() | Baseball | World Series MVP |
1956 | Morrow, BobbyBobby Morrow | ![]() | Track and field | Triple Olympic gold medalist |
1957 | Musial, StanStan Musial | ![]() | Baseball | National League batting champion |
1958 | Johnson, RaferRafer Johnson | ![]() | Track and field | Decathlon world record |
1959 | Johansson, IngemarIngemar Johansson | ![]() | Boxing | World heavyweight champion |
1960 | Palmer, ArnoldArnold Palmer | ![]() | Golf | PGA Player of the Year |
1961 | Lucas, JerryJerry Lucas | ![]() | College basketball | Final Four MVP |
1962 | Baker, TerryTerry Baker | ![]() | College football | Heisman Trophy winner |
1963 | Rozelle, PetePete Rozelle | ![]() | Professional football | NFL expansion, suspension of Paul Hornung and Alex Karras for gambling |
1964 | Venturi, KenKen Venturi | ![]() | Golf | U.S. Open Champion |
1965 | Koufax, SandySandy Koufax | ![]() | Baseball | Cy Young Award, Strikeout record |
1966 | Ryun, JimJim Ryun | ![]() | Track and field | Mile world record |
1967 | Yastrzemski, CarlCarl Yastrzemski | ![]() | Baseball | Triple Crown winner, AL MVP |
1968 | Russell, BillBill Russell | ![]() | Professional basketball | NBA champion player-coach |
1969 | Seaver, TomTom Seaver | ![]() | Baseball | Cy Young Award, World Series champion |
1970 | Orr, BobbyBobby Orr | ![]() | Hockey | NHL MVP, Art Ross, Conn Smythe, Norris |
1971 | Trevino, LeeLee Trevino | ![]() | Golf | PGA Player of the Year |
1972 | King, Billie JeanBillie Jean King | ![]() | Tennis | Three major titles |
Wooden, JohnJohn Wooden | ![]() | College basketball | NCAA champion coach | |
1973 | Stewart, JackieJackie Stewart | ![]() | Auto racing | Formula One World Champion |
1974 | Ali, MuhammadMuhammad Ali | ![]() | Boxing | World heavyweight champion |
1975 | Rose, PetePete Rose | ![]() | Baseball | World Series MVP |
1976 | Evert, ChrisChris Evert | ![]() | Tennis | Two major titles |
1977 | Cauthen, SteveSteve Cauthen | ![]() | Horse racing | Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey |
1978 | Nicklaus, JackJack Nicklaus | ![]() | Golf | British Open champion |
1979 | Bradshaw, TerryTerry Bradshaw | ![]() | Professional football | Super Bowl MVP |
Stargell, WillieWillie Stargell | ![]() | Baseball | NL MVP, NLCS MVP, World Series MVP | |
1980 | U.S. Olympic Hockey Team | ![]() | Hockey | Olympic gold medalists |
1981 | Leonard, Sugar RaySugar Ray Leonard | ![]() | Boxing | World welterweight champion |
1982 | Gretzky, WayneWayne Gretzky | ![]() | Hockey | NHL MVP, Art Ross |
1983 | Decker, MaryMary Decker | ![]() | Track and field | Double world champion |
1984 | Moses, EdwinEdwin Moses | ![]() | Track and field | Olympic gold medalist |
Retton, Mary LouMary Lou Retton | ![]() | Gymnastics | Olympic gold medalist | |
1985 | Abdul-Jabbar, KareemKareem Abdul-Jabbar | ![]() | Professional basketball | Playoff MVP |
1986 | Paterno, JoeJoe Paterno | ![]() | College football | NCAA champion coach |
1987 | Bourne, BobBob Bourne | ![]() | Hockey | Helped handicapped children's school |
King, Judi BrownJudi Brown King | ![]() | Track and field | Helped abused children | |
Keino, KipchogeKipchoge Keino | ![]() | Track and field | Cared for orphaned children | |
Murphy, DaleDale Murphy | ![]() | Baseball | Charity spokesman | |
Rives, ChipChip Rives | ![]() | College football | Helped needy children | |
Sheehan, PattyPatty Sheehan | ![]() | Golf | Helped abused girls | |
Sparrow, RoryRory Sparrow | ![]() | Professional basketball | Helped school children | |
Williams, ReggieReggie Williams | ![]() | Professional football | Helped high school students | |
1988 | Hershiser, OrelOrel Hershiser | ![]() | Baseball | Cy Young Award, NLCS MVP, World Series MVP |
1989 | LeMond, GregGreg LeMond | ![]() | Cycling | Tour de France and World champion |
1990 | Montana, JoeJoe Montana | ![]() | Professional football | Three-time Super Bowl MVP |
1991 | Jordan, MichaelMichael Jordan | ![]() | Professional basketball | NBA MVP, NBA Finals MVP, NBA Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist |
1992 | Ashe, ArthurArthur Ashe | ![]() | Tennis | Supported humanitarian causes |
1993 | Shula, DonDon Shula | ![]() | Professional football | Winningest NFL coach |
1994 | Blair, BonnieBonnie Blair | ![]() | Speed skating | Double Olympic gold medalist |
Koss, Johann OlavJohann Olav Koss | ![]() | Speed skating | Triple Olympic gold medalist | |
1995 | Ripken, Jr., CalCal Ripken, Jr. | ![]() | Baseball | Consecutive games record |
1996 | Woods, TigerTiger Woods | ![]() | Golf | U.S. Amateur, NCAA champion |
1997 | Smith, DeanDean Smith | ![]() | College basketball | Winningest college coach at the time of publication |
1998 | McGwire, MarkMark McGwire | ![]() | Baseball | Single-season home run record holder at the time of publication |
Sosa, SammySammy Sosa | ![]() | Baseball | National League MVP | |
1999 | U.S. Women's Soccer Team | ![]() | Soccer | World Cup champions |
2000 | Woods, TigerTiger Woods | ![]() | Golf | Three major championships |
2001 | Schilling, CurtCurt Schilling | ![]() | Baseball | World Series Co-MVP |
Johnson, RandyRandy Johnson | ![]() | Baseball | World Series Co-MVP, Cy Young Award | |
2002 | Armstrong, LanceLance Armstrong | ![]() | Cycling | Four-time Tour de France winner (wins later disqualified in 2012) |
2003 | Robinson, DavidDavid Robinson | ![]() | Professional basketball | Two-time NBA champion |
Duncan, TimTim Duncan | ![]() | Professional basketball | NBA MVP, NBA Champion, NBA Finals MVP | |
2004 | Boston Red Sox | ![]() | Professional baseball team | 2004 World Series champions |
2005 | Brady, TomTom Brady | ![]() | Professional football | Two-time Super Bowl MVP, Three-time Super Bowl champion |
2006 | Wade, DwyaneDwyane Wade | ![]() | Professional basketball | NBA Champion, NBA Finals MVP |
2007 | Favre, BrettBrett Favre | ![]() | Professional football | "for his perseverance and his passion" |
2008 | Phelps, MichaelMichael Phelps | ![]() | Swimming | Eight Gold Medals in 2008 Summer Olympics |
2009 | Jeter, DerekDerek Jeter | ![]() | Baseball | Five-time World Series Champion |
2010 | Brees, DrewDrew Brees | ![]() | Professional football | Super Bowl MVP and charitable work toward the reconstruction of New Orleans |
2011 | Krzyzewski, MikeMike Krzyzewski | ![]() | College basketball coach | Most wins in NCAA men's Division I history |
Summitt, PatPat Summitt | ![]() | College basketball coach | All-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball | |
2012 | James, LeBronLeBron James | ![]() | Professional basketball | NBA MVP, NBA Finals MVP, NBA Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist |
2013 | Manning, PeytonPeyton Manning | ![]() | Professional football | Five-Time NFL MVP, Super Bowl MVP, Single Season Touchdown Record, AFC Champion |
2014 | Bumgarner, MadisonMadison Bumgarner | ![]() | Baseball | Three-time World Series Champion, NLCS MVP, World Series MVP |
2015 | Williams, SerenaSerena Williams | ![]() | Tennis | Three major titles, Oldest player to be ranked number one in women's tennis during the Open Era |
See also
- From 1968 to 2008, a different award with the same name was presented by Sporting News magazine.
- Sports Illustrated Top 20 Female Athletes of the Decade (2009)
- Sports Illustrated Top 20 Male Athletes of the Decade (2009)
- Athlete of the Year
- Associated Press Athlete of the Year (AP)
- ESPY Award
- United Press International Athlete of the Year Award (UPI) (defunct)
- Laureus World Sports Awards (Laureus World Sports Academy)
- BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year
- L'Équipe Champion of Champions
References
- ↑ Legends Donate To Smithsonian The Evening Independent, June 19, 1979; retrieved June 29, 2015.
- ↑ much is that trophy in the window? Farther Off The Wall; 3 November 2009; retrieved 29 June 2015.
|