This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
2013 — LeBron James, basketball
2012 — Michael Phelps, swimming
2011 — Aaron Rodgers, football
2010 — Drew Brees, football
2009 — Jimmie Johnson, auto racing
2008 — Michael Phelps, swimming
2007 — Tom Brady, football
2006 — Tiger Woods, golf-x
2005 — Lance Armstrong, cycling
2004 — Lance Armstrong, cycling
2003 — Lance Armstrong, cycling
2002 — Lance Armstrong, cycling
2001 — Barry Bonds, baseball
2000 — Tiger Woods, golf
1999 — Tiger Woods, golf
1998 — Mark McGwire, baseball
1997 — Tiger Woods, golf
1996 — Michael Johnson, track and field
1995 — Cal Ripken, baseball
1994 — George Foreman, boxing
1993 — Michael Jordan, basketball
1992 — Michael Jordan, basketball
1991 — Michael Jordan, basketball
1990 — Joe Montana, football
1989 — Joe Montana, football
1988 — Orel Hershiser, baseball
1987 — Ben Johnson, track and field
1986 — Larry Bird, basketball
1985 — Dwight Gooden, baseball
1984 — Carl Lewis, track and field
1983 — Carl Lewis, track and field
1982 — Wayne Gretzky, hockey
1981 — John McEnroe, tennis-x
1980 — U.S. Olympic Hockey Team
1979 — Willie Stargell, baseball
1978 — Ron Guidry, baseball
1977 — Steve Cauthen, horse racing
1976 — Bruce Jenner, decathlon
1975 — Fred Lynn, baseball
1974 — Muhammad Ali, boxing
1973 — O.J. Simpson, football
1972 — Mark Spitz, swimming
1971 — Lee Trevino, golf
1970 — George Blanda, football
1969 — Tom Seaver, baseball
1968 — Denny McLain, baseball
1967 — Carl Yastrzemski, baseball
1966 — Frank Robinson, baseball
1965 — Sandy Koufax, baseball
1964 — Don Schollander, swimming
1963 — Sandy Koufax, baseball
1962 — Maury Wills, baseball
1961 — Roger Maris, baseball
1960 — Rafer Johnson, track
1959 — Ingemar Johansson, boxing
1958 — Herb Elliott, track
1957 — Ted Williams, baseball
1956 — Mickey Mantle, baseball
1955 — Hopalong Cassady, football
1954 — Willie Mays, baseball
1953 — Ben Hogan, golf
1952 — Bob Mathias, track-football
1951 — Dick Kazmaier, football
1950 — Jim Konstanty, baseball
1949 — Leon Hart, football
1948 — Lou Boudreau, baseball
1947 — Johnny Lujack, football
1946 — Glenn Davis, football
1945 — Byron Nelson, golf-x
1944 — Byron Nelson, golf
1943 — Gunder Haegg, track
1942 — Frank Sinkwich, football
1941 — Joe DiMaggio, baseball
1940 — Tom Harmon, football
1939 — Nile Kinnick, football
1938 — Don Budge, tennis
1937 — Don Budge, tennis
1936 — Jesse Owens, track-x
1935 — Joe Louis, boxing
1934 — Dizzy Dean, baseball
1933 — Carl Hubbell, baseball
1932 — Gene Sarazen, golf
1931 — Pepper Martin, baseball
x-both male and female winners were from the same sport