Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year


Since its inception in 1954, Sports Illustrated American 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, originally called "Sportsman of the Year" and renamed "Sportswoman of the Year" or "Sportswomen of the Year" when applicable.
Tiger Woods and LeBron James are the only individuals who have received the award more than once. Woods received his first award in 1996 as an amateur golfer, and in 2000 as a professional golfer. James received his first award in 2012 and his second in 2016.
The trophy is a ceramic replica of an ancient Greek amphora 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. The original amphora 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. Winners of the award are now presented with a copy of the amphora made in silver by Tiffany & Co.

Winners

The award's trophy, a ceramic urn depicting great athletes, has been given to the following recipients:
YearWinnerNationalitySportAchievement
1954Track and fieldFirst sub-four-minute mile
1955BaseballWorld Series MVP
1956Track and fieldTriple Olympic gold medalist
1957BaseballNational League batting champion
1958Track and fieldDecathlon world record
1959BoxingWorld heavyweight champion
1960GolfPGA Player of the Year
1961College basketballFinal Four MVP
1962College footballHeisman Trophy winner
1963'Professional footballNFL Commissioner; credited for expansion and the suspension of athletes for gambling
1964GolfU.S. Open champion
1965BaseballCy Young Award, strikeout record
1966Track and fieldMile world record
1967BaseballTriple Crown winner, AL MVP
1968Professional basketballNBA champion player-coach
1969BaseballCy Young Award, World Series champion
1970HockeyNHL MVP, Art Ross, Conn Smythe, Norris
1971GolfPGA Player of the Year
1972TennisThree major titles
1972'College basketballNCAA champion coach
1973Auto racingFormula One World Champion
1974BoxingWorld heavyweight champion
1975BaseballWorld Series MVP
1976TennisTwo major titles
1977Horse racingEclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey
1978GolfBritish Open champion
1979Professional footballSuper Bowl MVP
1979BaseballNL MVP, NLCS MVP, World Series MVP
1980U.S. Olympic hockey teamHockeyOlympic gold medalists
1981BoxingWorld welterweight champion
1982HockeyNHL MVP, Art Ross
1983Track and fieldDouble world champion
1984Track and fieldOlympic gold medalist
1984GymnasticsOlympic gold medalist
1985Professional basketballPlayoff MVP
1986'College footballNCAA champion coach
1987HockeyHelped handicapped children's school
1987Track and fieldHelped abused children
1987Track and fieldCared for orphaned children
1987BaseballCharity spokesman
1987College footballHelped needy children
1987GolfHelped abused girls
1987Professional basketballHelped school children
1987Professional footballHelped high school students
1988BaseballCy Young Award, NLCS MVP, World Series MVP
1989CyclingTour de France and World champion
1990Professional footballThree-time Super Bowl MVP
1991Professional basketballNBA MVP, NBA Finals MVP, NBA Champion
1992TennisSupported humanitarian causes
1993'Professional footballWinningest NFL coach
1994Speed skatingDouble Olympic gold medalist
1994Speed skatingTriple Olympic gold medalist
1995BaseballConsecutive games record
1996GolfU.S. Amateur, NCAA champion
1997'College basketballWinningest college coach at the time of publication
1998BaseballSingle-season home run record holder at the time of publication
1998BaseballNational League MVP
1999U.S. women's soccer teamSoccerWorld Cup champions
2000GolfThree major championships
2001BaseballWorld Series Co-MVP
2001BaseballWorld Series Co-MVP, Cy Young Award
2002CyclingFour-time Tour de France winner
2003Professional basketballTwo-time NBA champion
2003Professional basketballNBA MVP, NBA Champion, NBA Finals MVP
2004Boston Red SoxBaseball2004 World Series champions
2005Professional footballTwo-time Super Bowl MVP, Three-time Super Bowl champion
2006Professional basketballNBA Champion, NBA Finals MVP
2007Professional football"For his perseverance and his passion"
2008SwimmingEight gold medals in 2008 Summer Olympics
2009BaseballFive-time World Series Champion
2010Professional footballSuper Bowl MVP and charitable work toward the reconstruction of New Orleans
2011'College basketballMost wins as coach in NCAA men's Division I history
2011College basketballAll-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball
2012Professional basketballNBA MVP, NBA Finals MVP, NBA Champion, Olympic gold medalist
2013Professional footballFive-Time NFL MVP, single-season touchdown record, AFC Champion
2014BaseballThree-time World Series Champion, NLCS MVP, World Series MVP
2015TennisWon three majors, oldest player to be ranked no. 1 during the Open Era
2016Professional basketballNBA Finals MVP, led Cleveland Cavaliers to first title in franchise history
2017BaseballAmerican League MVP, World Series Champion, Helped lead the Houston Astros to their first title to the city since Hurricane Harvey.
2017Professional footballRaised more than $37 million in relief aid for the city of Houston, Texas less than a month after the impact of Hurricane Harvey.
2018Golden State WarriorsProfessional basketball2018 NBA champions, third title in last four years
2019SoccerFIFA Women's World Cup champion, won Golden Ball and Golden Boot.