Sporting News Sportsman of the Year

Sports Awards

No winner in 1987, Tie in 1998 and 2000. Missing are: * Griffin, Archie (1975) * Cauthen, Steve (1977) * Krzyzewski, Mike (1992) * Gillick, Pat (1993)

This Category is Ranked. Sort by Ranking Based on Votes by clicking on Vote Ranking. Sort by the Collection's Ranking by clicking on List Ranking.

Vote RankingList Ranking  

35

1968

Denny McLain

Baseball Player

0% (0 of 0 votes)

26

1969

Tom Seaver

Baseball Player

30.58% (37 of 121 votes)

10

1970

John Wooden

Basketball Player

62.50% (5 of 8 votes)

2

1971

Lee Trevino

Golfer

100% (1 of 1 votes)

34

1972

Charles Finley

Sports Executive

0% (0 of 0 votes)

27

1973

O.J. Simpson

Football Player

28.22% (668 of 2367 votes)

24

1974

Lou Brock

Baseball Player

33.33% (1 of 3 votes)

47

1975

Archie Griffin

Football Player

0% (0 of 2 votes)

41

1977

Steve Cauthen

Athlete

0% (0 of 3 votes)

15

1978

Ron Guidry

Baseball Player

50.0% (1 of 2 votes)

30

1979

Willie Stargell

Baseball Player

4.35% (1 of 23 votes)

37

1980

George Brett

Baseball Player

0% (0 of 0 votes)

4

1981

Wayne Gretzky

Hockey Player

74.29% (26 of 35 votes)

44

1982

Whitey Herzog

Baseball Player

0% (0 of 0 votes)

43

1983

Bowie Kuhn

Sports Executive

0% (0 of 2 votes)

42

1984

Peter Ueberroth

Sports Executive

0% (0 of 3 votes)

9

1985

Pete Rose

Baseball Player

65.38% (17 of 26 votes)

39

1986

Larry Bird

Basketball Player

0% (0 of 10 votes)

29

1988

Jackie Joyner Kersee

Athlete

5.88% (1 of 17 votes)

33

1989

Joe Montana

Football Player

0% (0 of 0 votes)

3

1990

Nolan Ryan

Baseball Player

87.50% (35 of 40 votes)

13

1991

Michael Jordan

Basketball Player

59.69% (114 of 191 votes)

17

1992

Mike Krzyzewski

Basketball Coach

50.0% (2 of 4 votes)

40

1993

Cito Gaston

Baseball Player

0% (0 of 1 votes)

46

1993

Pat Gillick

Sports Executive

0% (0 of 1 votes)

1

1994

Emmitt Smith

Football Player

100% (2 of 2 votes)

16

1995

Cal Ripken, Jr.

Baseball Player

50.0% (31 of 62 votes)

11

1996

Joe Torre

Baseball Player

60.0% (15 of 25 votes)

21

1997

Mark McGwire

Baseball Player

42.22% (76 of 180 votes)

22

1998

Mark McGwire

Baseball Player

42.22% (76 of 180 votes)

31

1998

Sammy Sosa

Baseball Player

0% (0 of 0 votes)

5

1999

New York Yankees

Sports Team

70.12% (568 of 810 votes)

32

2000

Marshall Faulk

Football Player

0% (0 of 0 votes)

36

2000

Kurt Warner

Football Player

0% (0 of 0 votes)

14

2001

Curt Schilling

Baseball Player

55.56% (5 of 9 votes)

8

2003

Jack McKeon

Baseball Player

66.67% (2 of 3 votes)

25

2003

Dick Vermeil

Football Coach

33.33% (1 of 3 votes)

6

2004

Tom Brady

Football Player

69.93% (1056 of 1510 votes)

38

2005

Matt Leinart

Football Player

0% (0 of 0 votes)

28

2006

Dwyane Wade

Basketball Player

27.27% (6 of 22 votes)

7

2007

Tom Brady

Football Player

69.93% (1056 of 1510 votes)

18

2008

Eli Manning

Football Player

49.22% (63 of 128 votes)

12

2009

Mariano Rivera

Baseball Player

60.0% (3 of 5 votes)

45

2010

Roy Halladay

Baseball Player

0% (0 of 5 votes)

19

2011

Aaron Rodgers

Football Player

48.82% (145 of 297 votes)

23

2012

LeBron James

Basketball Player

37.04% (340 of 918 votes)

20

2021

Shohei Ohtani

Baseball Player

46.76% (65 of 139 votes)