James E. Sullivan Award

James E. Sullivan Award
Awarded for "... go[ing] far beyond athletic accomplishments and honor[ing] those who have shown strong moral character."
Presented by Amateur Athletic Union
Country United States
Official website The Sullivan Award

The James E. Sullivan Award, presented by the American Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), is awarded annually in April to "the outstanding amateur athlete in the United States".[1] Often referred to as the Oscar of sports awards,[2][3][4] it was first presented in 1930. The award is named for the AAU's founder and past president, James Edward Sullivan. Based on the qualities of leadership, character, sportsmanship, and the ideals of amateurism, the AAU Sullivan Award "goes far beyond athletic accomplishments and honors those who have shown strong moral character".[1] Finalists are selected from public nominations following a review by the AAU Sullivan Award Executive Committee.[5] Approximately 10 semi-finalists are chosen,[5] and the eventual winner is determined by votes from various members of the nationwide news media, former winners and AAU personnel.[6][7] More recently, a proportion of the winner's vote has been determined by the general public.[8][9] Recipients are eligible for subsequent awards, although this has yet to happen.[5]

The inaugural winner of the award was golfer Bobby Jones, winner of 13 majors between 1923 and 1930.[10][11] The first female recipient, in 1944, was swimmer Ann Curtis, who won more national AAU championships than any other woman,[12] while the most recent winner was figure skater Evan Lysacek.[13] The award has been presented to multiple recipients on only one occasion – in 1999, to twin sisters Coco and Kelly Miller.[14]

Winners

Year Winner Sport(s) Reference
1930 Jones, BobbyBobby Jones Golf [15]
1931 Berlinger, BernardBernard Berlinger Decathlon [16]
1932 Bausch, JamesJames Bausch Decathlon [17]
1933 Cunningham, GlennGlenn Cunningham Running (middle distance) [18]
1934 Bonthron, WilliamWilliam Bonthron Running (middle distance) [19]
1935 Little, Jr., W. LawsonW. Lawson Little, Jr. Golf [20]
1936 Morris, GlennGlenn Morris Decathlon [21]
1937 Budge, DonDon Budge Tennis [22]
1938 Lash, DonDon Lash Running (long distance) [23]
1939 Burk, JoeJoe Burk Rowing [24]
1940 Rice, J. GregoryJ. Gregory Rice Track and field [25]
1941 MacMitchell, T. LeslieT. Leslie MacMitchell Track and field [26]
1942 Warmerdam, CorneliusCornelius Warmerdam Pole vault [27]
1943 Dodds, Gilbert R.Gilbert R. Dodds Running (middle distance) [28]
1944 Curtis, AnnAnn Curtis Swimming [29]
1945 Blanchard, DocDoc Blanchard Football [30]
1946 Tucker, ArnoldArnold Tucker Football [30]
1947 Kelly, Jr., John B.John B. Kelly, Jr. Rowing [31]
1948 Mathias, BobBob Mathias Decathlon [32]
1949 Button, DickDick Button Figure skating [33][34]
1950 Wilt, FredFred Wilt Running (long distance) [35]
1951 Richards, BobBob Richards Pole vault, decathlon [36]
1952 Ashenfelter, HoraceHorace Ashenfelter Running (long distance) [37]
1953 Lee, SammySammy Lee Diving [38]
1954 Whitfield, MalMal Whitfield Running (middle distance) [39]
1955 Dillard, HarrisonHarrison Dillard Running (sprint) [40]
1956 McCormick, PatPat McCormick Diving [7]
1957 Morrow, BobbyBobby Morrow Running (sprint) [41]
1958 Davis, Glenn "Jeep"Glenn "Jeep" Davis Running (sprint) [42]
1959 O'Brien, ParryParry O'Brien Shot put, discus [43]
1960 Johnson, RaferRafer Johnson Decathlon [44]
1961 Rudolph, WilmaWilma Rudolph Running (sprint) [45]
1962 Beatty, JimJim Beatty Track and field [46]
1963 Pennel, JohnJohn Pennel Pole vault [47]
1964 Schollander, DonDon Schollander Swimming [48]
1965 Bradley, BillBill Bradley Basketball [9]
1966 Ryun, JimJim Ryun Running (middle distance) [49]
1967 Matson, RandyRandy Matson Shot put, discus [50]
1968 Meyer, DebbieDebbie Meyer Swimming [51]
1969 Toomey, BillBill Toomey Decathlon [52]
1970 Kinsella, JohnJohn Kinsella Swimming [53]
1971 Spitz, MarkMark Spitz Swimming [15]
1972 Shorter, FrankFrank Shorter Running (long distance) [54]
1973 Walton, BillBill Walton Basketball [9]
1974 Wohlhuter, RickRick Wohlhuter Running (middle distance) [55]
1975 Shaw, TimTim Shaw Swimming [56]
1976 Jenner, BruceBruce Jenner Decathlon [57]
1977 Naber, JohnJohn Naber Swimming [6]
1978 Caulkins, TracyTracy Caulkins Swimming [58]
1979 Thomas, KurtKurt Thomas Gymnastics [59]
1980 Heiden, EricEric Heiden Speed skating [60]
1981 Lewis, CarlCarl Lewis Running (sprint), long jump [61]
1982 Decker, MaryMary Decker Running (middle and long distance) [62]
1983 Moses, EdwinEdwin Moses Running (sprint) [63]
1984 Louganis, GregGreg Louganis Diving [64]
1985 Benoit, JoanJoan Benoit Running (long distance) [65]
1986 Joyner-Kersee, JackieJackie Joyner-Kersee Running (sprint) [4]
1987 Abbott, JimJim Abbott Baseball [66]
1988 Griffith-Joyner, FlorenceFlorence Griffith-Joyner Running (sprint) [4]
1989 Evans, JanetJanet Evans Swimming [25]
1990 Smith, JohnJohn Smith Wrestling [25]
1991 Powell, MikeMike Powell Long jump [67]
1992 Blair, BonnieBonnie Blair Speed skating [68]
1993 Ward, CharlieCharlie Ward Basketball, football [30]
1994 Jansen, DanDan Jansen Speed skating [69]
1995 Baumgartner, BruceBruce Baumgartner Wrestling [70]
1996 Johnson, MichaelMichael Johnson Running (sprint) [71]
1997 Manning, PeytonPeyton Manning Football [30]
1998 Holdsclaw, ChamiqueChamique Holdsclaw Basketball [68]
1999 Miller, CocoCoco Miller & Kelly Miller Basketball [72]
2000 Gardner, RulonRulon Gardner Wrestling [73]
2001 Kwan, MichelleMichelle Kwan Figure skating [33]
2002 Hughes, SarahSarah Hughes Figure skating [15]
2003 Phelps, MichaelMichael Phelps Swimming [15]
2004 Hamm, PaulPaul Hamm Gymnastics [59]
2005 Redick, J. J.J. J. Redick Basketball [9]
2006 Long, JessicaJessica Long Swimming [74]
2007 Tebow, TimTim Tebow Football [75]
2008 Johnson, ShawnShawn Johnson Gymnastics [59]
2009 Palmiero-Winters, AmyAmy Palmiero-Winters Running (ultra marathon) [76]
2010 Lysacek, EvanEvan Lysacek Figure Skating [13]

References

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  3. ^ Saladyga, Karen (April 16, 2009). "Johnson wins 79th Annual AAU Sullivan Award". Team USA Gymnastics. http://gymnastics.teamusa.org/news/2009/04/16/johnson-wins-79th-annual-aau-sullivan-award/11985. Retrieved February 26, 2010. 
  4. ^ a b c "Sports people: Track and field; Griffith Joyner Gets Sullivan Award". The New York Times. March 7, 1989. http://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/07/sports/sports-people-track-and-field-griffith-joyner-gets-sullivan-award.html?pagewanted=1. Retrieved February 25, 2010. 
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  41. ^ "Bobby Morrow". USA Track & Field. http://www.usatf.org/HallOfFame/TF/showBio.asp?HOFIDs=114. Retrieved February 25, 2010. 
  42. ^ "Glenn Davis". USA Track & Field. http://www.usatf.org/HallOfFame/TF/showBio.asp?HOFIDs=40. Retrieved February 25, 2010. 
  43. ^ "William (Parry) O'Brien". USA Track & Field. http://www.usatf.org/HallOfFame/TF/showBio.asp?HOFIDs=123. Retrieved February 25, 2010. 
  44. ^ "Rafer Johnson". USA Track & Field. http://www.usatf.org/HallOfFame/TF/showBio.asp?HOFIDs=84. Retrieved February 25, 2010. 
  45. ^ "Wilma Rudolph". USA Track & Field. http://www.usatf.org/HallOfFame/TF/showBio.asp?HOFIDs=141. Retrieved February 25, 2010. 
  46. ^ "Jim Beatty". USA Track & Field. http://www.usatf.org/HallOfFame/TF/showBio.asp?HOFIDs=13. Retrieved February 25, 2010. 
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