Sportsman of the Year

	Email		Print
	Bookmark		Link

Sportsman of the Year

Since its inception in 1954, Sports IllustratedSports Illustrated

Sports Illustrated is an iconic weekly American sports magazine owned by media giant Time Warner....
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." A majority of the winners have been American. Non-Americans are also eligible, and have won on a number of occasions, but the list of recipients may be reflective of an American perspective in the list's formation. For example, it has never been given to an individual player in soccer or to any player of cricket. The award's trophy, a ceramic urn depicting Greek athletes, has been given to the following recipients:

Year	Winner	Sport	Achievement
1954	Roger BannisterRoger Bannister Overview Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister CBE is a British former athlete best known as the first man to run the mile in less than four mi...	Track and field	First sub-four-minute mileFour-minute mile The four minute mile, in athletics, is the running of a mile in under four minutes....
1955	Johnny PodresJohnny Podres John Joseph "Johnny" Podres is a former Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher who played with the Brooklyn and ...	BaseballBaseball Baseball is a team sport popular in North America, parts of Latin America, the Caribbean, and East Asia....	World SeriesWorld Series The World Series is the championship series of Major League Baseball and the culmination of the sport's postseason each Octo... MVPWorld Series MVP Award The World Series MVP Award is given to the player who most contributes to his team's success in the World Series....
1956	Bobby Joe MorrowBobby Joe Morrow Summary Bobby Joe Morrow was an American athlete, winner of three Olympic gold medals in 1956. ...	Track and field	Double Olympic1956 Summer Olympics The 1956 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were held in 1956 in Melbourne, Australia... gold medalist
1957	Stan MusialStan Musial Stanley Frank Musial, nicknamed "Stan the Man", is an American former player in Major League Baseball who played 22 seas...	Baseball	National LeagueNational League The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, or simply the National League, is the older of two leagues consti... battingBatting average Batting average is a statistic in both baseball and cricket measuring the performance of baseball hitters and cricket batsme... champion
1958	Rafer JohnsonRafer Johnson Rafer Lewis Johnson is a former American decathlete....	Track and field	DecathlonDecathlon A decathlon is an athletic contest made up of 10 events.... world record
1959	Ingemar JohanssonIngemar Johansson Ingemar Johansson was a Swedish heavyweight boxer. ...	BoxingBoxing Boxing, also called Western Boxing, prizefighting or the sweet science , is a sport and martial art in wh...	World heavyweight champion
1960	Arnold PalmerArnold Palmer Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American golfer who has won numerous events on both the PGA TOUR and Champions Tour, dating back ...	GolfGolf Golf is a sport where individual players or teams hit a ball into a hole using various clubs, and is one of the few ball ga...	PGA Player of the YearPGA Tour The PGA Tour is an organization headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA that operates the USA's main professional g...
1961	Jerry LucasJerry Lucas Jerry Ray Lucas was a legendary basketball star from the 1950s to the 1970s, and is now a world-renowned memory education ex...	College basketballBasketball Basketball is a sport in which two teams of five players each try to score points on one another by throwing a ball through ...	Final FourFacts About Final Four Final Four is a sports term that is commonly applied to the last... MVPNCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player At the conclusion of the NCAA men's and women's Division I basketball championships, the Associated Press selects a Most Outsta...
1962	Terry BakerTerry Baker Summary Terry Wayne Baker is a former quarterback for the Oregon State University football team....	College footballCollege football College football is American football played by teams of students fielded by American universities and colleges, including Un...	Heisman TrophyHeisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award, named after former college football player and coach John Heisman, is considered the most... winner
1963	Pete RozellePete Rozelle Alvin Ray "Pete" Rozelle was the commissioner of the National Football League from January 1960 to November 1989, when he re...	Professional footballNational Football League The National Football League is the largest professional American football league, consisting of thirty-two teams from Amer...	NFL expansion
1964	Ken VenturiKen Venturi Ken Venturi was a prominent PGA Tour professional during the late 1950's and early 1960's....	Golf	U.S. OpenU.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship is the annual men's open golf tournament of the United States of America and it is stag... Champion
1965	Sandy KoufaxSandy Koufax Sanford "Sandy" Koufax, born Sanford Braun on December 30 1935 in Brooklyn, New York, is one of the greatest left-hand...	Baseball	Cy Young AwardCy Young Award In baseball, the Cy Young Award is an honor given annually to the best pitchers in the Major Leagues.... , Strikeout record
1966	Jim RyunJim Ryun James Ronald Ryun is an American former track athlete and current politician, who has been a Republican member of the United...	Track and field	Mile world record
1967	Carl YastrzemskiCarl Yastrzemski Carl Michael Yastrzemski was an American Major League Baseball player....	Baseball	Triple CrownTriple crown (baseball) In baseball, the Triple Crown refers to:... winner
1968	Bill RussellBill Russell William Felton Russell is a former American basketball player remembered for his central role in the Boston Celtics dynasty ...	Professional basketballNational Basketball Association Summary The National Basketball Association is the world's premier men's professional basketball league and one of the major profes...	NBA champion player-coach
1969	Tom SeaverTom Seaver George Thomas Seaver is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the major leagues in 1967 and retired in 1986....	Baseball	Cy Young Award
1970	Bobby OrrBobby Orr Robert Gordon "Bobby" Orr, OC is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenseman and is considered by many to be one of the greates...	HockeyIce hockey Ice hockey, referred to simply as hockey in Canada and the United States, is a team sport played on ice....	NHLNational Hockey League The National Hockey League is a professional sports organization composed of ice hockey teams in North America.... MVPHart Memorial Trophy The Hart Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the Most Valuable Player in the National Hockey League.... , Art RossArt Ross Trophy The Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League player who leads the league in scoring at the end of the regula... , Conn SmytheConn Smythe Trophy The Conn Smythe Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the most valuable player during the National Hockey League's Stanley ... , Norris
1971	Lee TrevinoLee Trevino Lee Buck Trevio is an American professional golfer....	Golf	PGA Player of the Year
1972	Billie Jean KingBillie Jean King Summary Billie Jean Moffitt King is a retired tennis player from the United States....	TennisTennis Tennis is a game played between either two players or two teams of two players ....	Three major titles
1972	John WoodenJohn Wooden Summary ...	College basketball	NCAA championFacts About NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is held each spring featuring 65 college basketball teams in the United St... coach
1973	Jackie StewartJackie Stewart Sir John Young Stewart, OBE, better known as Jackie Stewart, and nicknamed The Flying Scot, is a Scottish three-...	Auto racingAuto racing Auto racing is a sport involving racing automobiles....	Formula OneFormula One \|}Formula One, abbreviated to F1, and also known as Grand Prix racing, is recognised as the highest class of auto ra... World ChampionList of Formula One World Drivers' Champions The Formula One World Drivers' Championship is awarded by the Fdration Internationale de l'Automobile to the most successful...
1974	Muhammad AliMuhammad Ali Muhammad Ali is a retired American boxer....	Boxing	World heavyweight champion
1975	Pete RosePete Rose Peter Edward "Pete" Rose, Sr. , nicknamed Charlie Hustle, is an American former player and manager in Major League Bas...	Baseball	World Series MVP
1976	Chris EvertChris Evert Summary Christine Marie Evert Mill is a former World No....	Tennis	Two major titles
1977	Steve CauthenSteve Cauthen Steve Cauthen is an American jockey....	Horse racingThoroughbred horse race Summary Thoroughbred horse racing is the most popular form of horse-racing throughout the world....	Eclipse AwardEclipse Award The Eclipse Award is a American thoroughbred horse racing award named after the 18th century British racehorse and sire, Ecl... for Outstanding JockeyEclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey The Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey is a American thoroughbred horse racing honor for jockeys first awarded in 1971....
1978	Jack NicklausJack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus, also known as "The Golden Bear", was a major force in professional golf, first on the PGA Tour from t...	Golf	British OpenThe Open Championship The Open Championship - often known as the British Open outside the United Kingdom and Ireland - is the oldest of the ... champion
1979	Terry BradshawTerry Bradshaw Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football Leag...	Professional football	Super BowlSuper Bowl In professional American football, the Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League in the United St... MVPSuper Bowl MVP The Super Bowl MVP, or Super Bowl Most Valuable Player, is an award given at the conclusion of the Super Bowl, the Nat...
1979	Willie StargellWillie Stargell Wilver Dornel "Willie" Stargell, nicknamed "Pops" in the later years of his career, was a professional baseball player...	Baseball	World Series MVP
1980	U.S. Olympic Hockey TeamMiracle on Ice The "Miracle on Ice" is the popular nickname for the men's ice hockey game in the 1980 Olympic Winter Games, in which a team...	Hockey	Olympic1980 Winter Olympics The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, were held in 1980 in Lake Placid, New Yor... gold medalists
1981	Sugar Ray LeonardSugar Ray Leonard Sugar Ray Leonard is an American former professional boxer....	Boxing	World welterweight champion
1982	Wayne GretzkyWayne Gretzky Wayne Douglas Gretzky, OC is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently part-owner and head coach o...	Hockey	NHLNational Hockey League The National Hockey League is a professional sports organization composed of ice hockey teams in North America.... MVPHart Memorial Trophy The Hart Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the Most Valuable Player in the National Hockey League.... , Art RossArt Ross Trophy The Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League player who leads the league in scoring at the end of the regula...
1983	Mary DeckerMary Decker Mary Slaney is an American former track and field athlete, who holds seven American records in her sport....	Track and field	Double world champion1983 World Championships in Athletics Overview The inaugural World Championships in Athletics were run under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Fed...
1984	Edwin MosesEdwin Moses Edwin Corley Moses is an American track and field athlete who won gold medals in the 400-meter hurdles at the 1976 and 1984 ...	Track and field	Olympic1984 Summer Olympics The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, were held in 1984 in Los Angeles, Calif... gold medalist
1984	Mary Lou RettonMary Lou Retton Mary Lou Retton is an American gymnast....	GymnasticsArtistic gymnastics Artistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics in which competitors perform short routines on different apparatus, obviou...	OlympicGymnastics at the 1984 Summer Olympics Gymnastics at the 1984 Summer Olympics was represented by two different gymnastics disciplines: artistic gymnastics and rhy... gold medalist
1985	Kareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-Jabbar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a former professional basketball player....	Professional basketball	PlayoffNBA Playoffs The NBA Playoffs are four rounds of competition between sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conferences of t... MVP
1986	Joe PaternoJoe Paterno Joseph Vincent Paterno, nicknamed JoePa, has been the head coach of Pennsylvania State University's college football t...	College football	NCAA champion coach
1987	"Athletes Who Care"
	Bob BourneBob Bourne Bob Bourne is a retired professional ice hockey centre who played in the NHL between 1974 and 1988....	Hockey	Helped handicapped children's school
		Track and field	Helped abused children
	Kip KeinoKipchoge Keino Kipchoge Keino is a Kenyan former athlete. ...	Track and field	Cared for orphaned children
	Dale MurphyDale Murphy Dale Bryan Murphy is a former center fielder and catcher in Major League Baseball, born in Portland, Oregon....	Baseball	Charity spokesman
		College football	Helped needy children
	Patty SheehanPatty Sheehan Patty Sheehan is an American professional golfer....	Golf	Helped abused girls
	Rory SparrowRory Sparrow Summary Rory Darnell Sparrow is a former professional basketball player in the NBA....	Professional basketball	Helped school children
	Reggie WilliamsReggie Williams (linebacker) Reginald Williams is a former professional American football player....	Professional football	Helped high school students
1988	Orel HershiserOrel Hershiser Orel Leonard Hershiser IV is a former professional right-handed pitcher and Executive Director for the Texas Rangers....	Baseball	Cy Young Award, World Series MVP
1989	Greg LeMondGreg LeMond Gregory James "Greg" LeMond is a former professional road bicycle racer from the United States....	CyclingFacts About Cycling Cycling is a recreation, a sport and a means of transport across land....	Tour de FranceTour de France Le Tour de France , often referred to as *La Grande Boucle, Le Tour* or The Tour, is the most famous and... winner
1990	Joe MontanaJoe Montana Joseph Clifford Montana, Jr., was a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Footb...	Professional football	Three-time Super Bowl MVP
1991	Michael JordanMichael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a retired American professional basketball player....	Professional basketball	NBA MVPNBA Most Valuable Player Award The National Basketball Association first named a Most Valuable Player after the 1955-56 NBA season.... , NBA Finals MVP, NBA Champion
1992	Arthur AsheArthur Ashe Overview Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr. was a prominent African American tennis player who was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia....	Tennis	Supported humanitarian causes
1993	Don ShulaDon Shula Donald Francis Shula is a former professional football coach for the National Football League....	Professional football	Winningest NFL coach
1994	Bonnie BlairBonnie Blair Summary Bonnie Kathleen Blair was one of the top female speedskaters of her time, and one of the most decorated female athletes in O...	Speed skatingSpeed skating Speed skating or speedskating is a form of ice skating in which the competitors attempt to travel a certain distance a...	Double Olympic1994 Winter Olympics The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games, were celebrated in 1994 in Lillehammer, N... gold medalist
1994	Johann Olav KossJohann Olav Koss Johann Olav Koss is a former speed skater, considered to be one of the best in history....	Speed skating	Triple Olympic gold medalist
1995	Cal Ripken, Jr.Cal Ripken, Jr. Calvin Edwin "Cal" Ripken, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball player....	Baseball	Consecutive games record
1996	Tiger WoodsTiger Woods Overview Eldrick "Tiger" Woods is an American golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all ti...	Golf	U.S. Amateur, NCAA championNCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships The NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships, which is played in late May or early June, is the top annual competition in U....
1997	Dean SmithDean Smith Dean Edwards Smith is a former basketball player and coach....	College basketball	2nd Winningest college coach
1998	Mark McGwireMark McGwire Mark David McGwire is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball who played from 1986 through 2001....	Baseball	Single-season home runHome run In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring ... record
1998	Sammy SosaSammy Sosa Samuel Sosa Peralta is a right fielder in Major League Baseball in free agency....	Baseball	National League MVPMLB Most Valuable Player Award In the game of baseball, both amateur and professional, it is tradition to annually recognize the one player in the league who has...
1999	U.S. Women's Soccer TeamUnited States women's national soccer team Summary The United States Women's National Soccer Team is operated by the United States Soccer Federation....	SoccerFootball (soccer) Football is a team sport played between two teams, of 11 players each, and is widely considered to be the most popular spor...	World Cup champions
2000		Golf	Three major championshipsMen's major golf championships The Major Championships, often referred to simply as the "Majors", are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in men's...
2001	Curt SchillingFacts About Curt Schilling Curtis Montague Schilling is a right-handed starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, acquired in a trade with the Arizona Di...	Baseball	World Series Co-MVP
2001	Randy JohnsonRandy Johnson Randall David Johnson, is a left-handed starting pitcher for the New York Yankees....	Baseball	World Series Co-MVP, Cy Young Award
2002	Lance ArmstrongLance Armstrong Lance Armstrong is a retired American professional road racing cyclist....	Cycling	Four-time Tour de France winner
2003	David RobinsonDavid Robinson (basketball) Summary David Maurice Robinson is a former NBA basketball player, who is considered one of the greatest to ever play....	Professional basketball	Two-time NBA champion
2003	Tim DuncanFacts About Tim Duncan Timothy Theodore Duncan is an NBA basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs, playing at the power forward position....	Professional basketball	NBA MVP, Playoff MVP
2004	Boston Red SoxBoston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are a Major League Baseball team in the American League....	Professional Baseball Team	2004 World Series2004 World Series The 2004 World Series represented the 100th time two modern Major League Baseball teams met to decide the championship.... champions
2005	Tom BradyTom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the National Football League's New England Patriots...	Professional Football	Two-time Super Bowl MVP
2006	Dwyane WadeDwyane Wade Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. is an American professional basketball player, in the National Basketball Association....	Professional Basketball	NBA Champion, NBA Finals MVP
2007	Brett FavreBrett Favre Brett Lorenzo Favre has been the starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers American football team in the National Footb...	Professional Football	"for his perseverance and his passion"

External links

at SI.com