Seattle Post-Intelligencer columnist/editor Royal Brougham created the Man of the Year sports award in early 1936. The Man of the Year became the Sports Star of the Year in 1977, and currently honors the Professional Athlete of the Year, Male Athlete of the Year, Female Athlete of the Year and Sports Story of the Year.
In the beginning, men and women were lumped together on one ballot. These were the nominees from the early years of the awards program, 1940-49 (winner in bold face). The number behind a nominee’s name indicates the times he or she had appeared on the ballot.
| Year | Nominees | Sport | Skinny |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | George Archie | Baseball | Pacific Coast League MVP |
| Dick Barrett (4) | Baseball | Went 24-5 for the Rainiers | |
| Henry Bendele | Football | Legendary Ballard High coach | |
| Ray Frankowski | Football | All-Coast lineman at UW | |
| Ted Garhart | Rowing | Stroke of the Washington crew | |
| Paul Gilbreath | Skiing | Captured Silver Skis trophy | |
| Art Langlie | None | Washington state governor | |
| Jack Lelivelt (3) | Baseball | Managed Rainiers to pennant | |
| Jim Phelan (3) | Football | Coached Huskies to 7-2 record | |
| Henry Prosoff (3) | Tennis | Nationally ranked single player | |
| Adolph Schacht | Baseball | Rainiers trainer; also fight referee | |
| Jack Westland | Golf | PNGA Men’s Amateur champion | |
| 1941 | Click Clark | Trainer | Served as UW’s trainer for 28 years |
| Neil Ellis | Preps | Seattle director of grade-school sports | |
| Ray Frankowski (2) | Football | All-Coast lineman at UW | |
| Ted Garhart (2) | Rowing | Stroke led UW to undefeated season | |
| Walt Harrison | Football | All-Coast center at Washington | |
| Bill Skiff | Baseball | Managed pennant-winning Rainiers | |
| Hal Turpin | Baseball | 20-6 (2.15 ERA) mark for Rainiers | |
| Jo Jo White (2) | Baseball | Batted .291 for the Rainiers | |
| 1942 | Matt Broza | Skiing | Captured the Silver Skis trophy |
| Bob Erickson | Football | Outstanding UW running back | |
| Ted Garhart (3) | Rowing | Never lost race in UW career | |
| Walt Harrison (2) | Football | All-Coast center at Washington | |
| Bill Lawrence (2) | Baseball | Hit .310 for Seattle Rainiers | |
| Bob Odman | Tennis | Captained Washington’s team | |
| Hal Turpin (2) | Baseball | Went 23-9 for the Rainiers | |
| 1943 | Al Akins | Football | Helped lead UW to 1944 Rose Bowl |
| Eddie Carnett | Baseball | Hit .300 for the Seattle Rainiers | |
| Carl Deetken | Bowling | One of Seattle’s leading bowlers | |
| Allen Drumheller | Trainer | State’s leading breeder, trainer | |
| Kore Duryee | Archery | “Father” of Washington state bow hunting | |
| H. Edmundson (4) | Basketball | UW went 26-7, played in NCAAs | |
| Bill Morris | Basketball | Named to All-America team | |
| Bill Nollan | Football | Lincoln High football coach | |
| Sam Robinson | Football | Star halfback, quarterback at UW | |
| Bill Skiff (2) | Baseball | Managed Rainiers to 85-70 record | |
| Hal Sueme | Baseball | Hit .281 for Seattle Rainiers | |
| 1944 | Leon Brigham (4) | Preps | Supervised local prep sports |
| Carl Fischer | Baseball | RHP went 16-13 for Rainiers | |
| Tom Gassman | Bowling | Oversaw Greater Seattle bowling | |
| Harry Givan | Golf | Dominated amateur golf scene | |
| Lou Hull | Football | Successful Roosevelt High coach | |
| Don Johnson | Outdoors | Led Seattle Steelhead Trout Club | |
| Jim McCurdy | Football | All-Coast OG for UW Rose Bowl team | |
| Pete Miller | Navy Spts | Ran sports programs on Navy’s behalf | |
| Bill Morris (2) | Basketball | All-Coast guard for Huskies | |
| Hal Spindel | Baseball | Hit .355 for Rainiers | |
| 1945 | Joe Demoran | Baseball | Went 20-10 for Rainiers |
| Frank Dotten | Hockey | Scored 38 goals for Seattle Ironmen | |
| Harry Givan (2) | Golf | Created Seattle Open golf tourney | |
| George Gunn | Conservation | Worked to protect fish habitat | |
| Alf Hemstad | Football | Letterman at University of Washington | |
| Gordon Hungar | Football | Letterman at University of Washington | |
| George Kosmos | Bowling | Greater Seattle Bowler of Year | |
| George McDonald | Baseball | Seattle native hit .317 for SD Padres | |
| Bill McGovern | Football | Letterman at University of Washington | |
| Steve Morrissey | Conservation | Promoted state-wide environmentalism | |
| Joe Velez | Boxing | Won Northwest Golden Gloves | |
| Sammy White | Basketballl | Starred for Washington Huskies | |
| 1946 | Eddie Coleman | Football | Star left halfback for Lincoln High |
| Ray Daughters (3) | Swimming | Internationally acclaimed swim coach | |
| Earl Johnson | Baseball | Seattleite starred for Boston Red Sox | |
| Steve Morrissey (2) | Outdoors | Promoted state environmentalism | |
| Bill Nollan (2) | Football | Successful Lincoln High coach | |
| Gloria Petersen | Ice Skating | Top Pacific Coast figure skater | |
| George Pocock (2) | Rowing | Famous designer of racing shells | |
| Freddie Provo | Football | Star left halfback for Huskies | |
| Karl Stingl | Skiing | Northwest’s top ski racer | |
| Joe Velez (2) | Bowling | Won Northwest AAU crown | |
| Tommy Werner | Basketball | Coached industrial Alpine Dairymen | |
| Jo Jo White (3) | Baseball | Returned to Rainiers from Sacramento | |
| 1947 | H. Bendele (2) | Football | Legendary Ballard High coach |
| Leon Brigham (5) | Admin. | Served as prep athletic director | |
| Jim Brink | Tennis | All-Coast player for UW Huskies | |
| Eddie Dartnell | Hockey | Scored 25 goals for Seattle Ironmen | |
| Leon Evans | Playfield | Administrator of Seattle playfields | |
| John Katsoras | Referee | Respected West Coast official | |
| Kennedy sibs | Ice Skating | 2nd in World Championships (pairs) | |
| Hillis Layne | Baseball | Batted .367 for Seattle Rainiers | |
| Dick Ottele | Football | 3-year quarterback for Huskies | |
| George Pocock (3) | Rowing | Internationally acclaimed shell designer | |
| Pete Powlison | Swimming | Named to All-America team | |
| Torchy Torrance | Olympics | Avid booster of all Seattle sports | |
| 1948 | Jimmy Cain (2) | Football | Top West Coast referee |
| Ted Clarke | Squash | Eight-time city squash champion | |
| Waldo Dahl | Recreation | Had playfield named in his honor | |
| Alf Hemstad (2) | Football | Letterman at University of Washington | |
| Jack Nichols | Basketball | All-America center at Washington | |
| Porky Oliver | Golf | Won the Tacoma Open Invitational | |
| George Pocock (4) | Rowing | Acclaimed shell designer | |
| Reg Root | Football | Interim UW head coach | |
| Don Sprinkle | Football | Head coach Rainier Beach Ramblers | |
| Warren Westlund | Rowing | Won a gold medal in London Olympics | |
| 1949 | Arnold Bergh | Football | Lincoln High School’s star passer |
| Chuck Durgan | Softball | Administrator, Seattle Softball Assn. | |
| Guy Fletcher | Baseball | Won 23 games for Seattle Rainiers | |
| Pete Gattanini | Bowling | Greater Seattle Bowler of the Year | |
| Gordon Glisson | Horse Race | Local jockey scored at Santa Anita | |
| Roland Kirkby | Football | Most Inspirational on UW team | |
| Porky Oliver (2) | Golf | Captured Northwest Open tournament | |
| Nick Peterson | Baseball | Financial backer of Commercial League | |
| Arnold Riegger | Trapshooting | Promoted state environmentalism | |
| Ray Soo | Basketball | All-City guard from Garfield High | |
| Arnie Weinmeister | Football | All-Coast tackle for UW team |