James E. Sullivan Award
Encyclopedia
The James E. Sullivan Award, presented by the American Amateur Athletic Union
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...

 (AAU), is awarded annually in April to "the outstanding amateur
Amateur sports
Amateur sports are sports in which participants engage largely or entirely without remuneration. Sporting amateurism was a zealously guarded ideal in the 19th century, especially among the upper classes, but faced steady erosion throughout the 20th century with the continuing growth of pro sports...

 athlete in the United States". Often referred to as the Oscar of sports awards, 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". Finalists are selected from public nominations following a review by the AAU Sullivan Award Executive Committee. Approximately 10 semi-finalists are chosen, and the eventual winner is determined by votes from various members of the nationwide news media, former winners and AAU personnel. More recently, a proportion of the winner's vote has been determined by the general public. Recipients are eligible for subsequent awards, although this has yet to happen.

The inaugural winner of the award was golfer Bobby Jones
Bobby Jones (golfer)
Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones Jr. was an American amateur golfer, and a lawyer by profession. Jones was the most successful amateur golfer ever to compete on a national and international level...

, winner of 13 majors
Men's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...

 between 1923 and 1930. The first female recipient, in 1944, was swimmer Ann Curtis
Ann Curtis
Ann Curtis is a former competitive swimmer and Olympic Gold Medal winner for the United States. She was coached by Charlie Sava and was a member of the San Francisco Crystal Plunge team. Curtis participated in London’s 1948 Olympic Games winning the gold medal in the 400 m freestyle...

, who won more national AAU championships than any other woman, while the most recent winner was figure skater Evan Lysacek
Evan Lysacek
Evan Frank Lysacek is an American figure skater. He is the 2010 Olympic champion, the 2009 World champion, the 2005 & 2007 Four Continents champion, the 2007 & 2008 U.S. national champion, and the 2009/2010 Grand Prix Final champion....

. The award has been presented to multiple recipients on only one occasion – in 1999, to twin sisters Coco
Coco Miller
-External links:**...

 and Kelly Miller.

Winners

Year Winner Sport(s) Reference
1930 Golf
1931 Decathlon
1932 Decathlon
1933 Running (middle distance)
1934 Running (middle distance)
1935 Golf
1936 Decathlon
1937 Tennis
1938 Running (long distance)
1939 Rowing
1940 Track and field
1941 Track and field
1942 Pole vault
1943 Running (middle distance)
1944 Swimming
1945 Football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

1946 Football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

1947 Rowing
1948 Decathlon
1949 Figure skating
1950 Running (long distance)
1951 Pole vault, decathlon
1952 Running (long distance)
1953 Diving
1954 Running (middle distance)
1955 Running (sprint)
1956 Diving
1957 Running (sprint)
1958 Running (sprint)
1959 Shot put, discus
1960 Decathlon
1961 Running (sprint)
1962 Track and field
1963 Pole vault
1964 Swimming
1965 Basketball
1966 Running (middle distance)
1967 Shot put, discus
1968 Swimming
1969 Decathlon
1970 Swimming
1971 Swimming
1972 Running (long distance)
1973 Basketball
1974 Running (middle distance)
1975 Swimming
1976 Decathlon
1977 Swimming
1978 Swimming
1979 Gymnastics
1980 Speed skating
1981 Running (sprint), long jump
1982 Running (middle and long distance)
1983 Running (sprint)
1984 Diving
1985 Running (long distance)
1986 Running (sprint)
1987 Baseball
1988 Running (sprint)
1989 Swimming
1990 Wrestling
1991 Long jump
1992 Speed skating
1993 Basketball, football
1994 Speed skating
1995 Wrestling
1996 Running (sprint)
1997 Football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

1998 Basketball
1999 & Kelly Miller Basketball
2000 Wrestling
2001 Figure skating
2002 Figure skating
2003 Swimming
2004 Gymnastics
2005 Basketball
2006 Swimming
2007 Football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

2008 Gymnastics
2009 Running (ultra marathon)
2010 Figure Skating

External links

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