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 decade of the 1960s (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Joe Budnick | Baseball | Coached Cheney Studs to USA title |
| Quincy Daniels | Boxing | Bronze medalist at Rome Olympics | |
| Hugh Entrop | Boat Racer | Outboard world record of 114 mph | |
| J. Gunderson (3) | Golf | Won third U.S. Women’s Amateur | |
| Janet Hopps (2) | Tennis | Wimbledon semis doubles and mixed | |
| Karen Howland | Ice Skating | Nationally ranked figure skater | |
| L. Wash. Crew | Rowing | Qualified to race in Rome Olympics | |
| Bill Marx | Football | UW’s freshman football coach | |
| Don McKeta | Football | Flaherty winner for UW football | |
| Ron Santo | Baseball | Rookie with the Chicago Cubs | |
| Bill Tindall | Golf | Captured Seattle City Amateur | |
| 1961 | Chuck Allen | Football | Washington’s All-Coast lineman |
| Bill Buchan | Sailing | 1961 Star world champion | |
| Lou Clinton | Baseball | .295 BA, 21 HR for Seattle Rainiers | |
| Frank Crealock | Curling | 1961 world championship bronze | |
| Anne Decker (2) | Golf | U.S. Women’s Amateur champion | |
| Judy Hoetman | Golf | Distinguished Seattle amateur | |
| Pete Lovely | Auto Racing | Raced in 11 Formula 1 Grand Prix | |
| John Meyers | Football | UW’s All-Coast defensive tackle | |
| Bill Muncey (2) | Hydros | Captured the APBA Gold Cup | |
| Ted Nash | Rowing | UW oarsman gold in ’60 Olympics | |
| Dick Pangallo | Football | Coached 39 years at Seattle schools | |
| Bobby Pasquale | Boxing | 1961 AAU 156-pound champion | |
| Ron Patnoe | Basketball | Won prep crown with Garfield High | |
| Kermit Zarley (2) | Golf | 1961 Seattle Amateur champion | |
| 1962 | Eddie Cotton | Boxing | Became light heavyweight contender |
| Darylee Cox | Bowling | Won PBA’s Silver Lanes Open | |
| Bob Fesler (2) | Softball | Seattle Fastpitch star pitcher | |
| Bill MacFarland | Hockey | Led Totems, WHL with 46 goals | |
| Bill Marx (2) | Football | UW’s freshman football coach | |
| Bob Monroe | Football | Won UW’s Guy Flaherty medal | |
| Bill Muncey (3) | Hydros | 1962 APBA Gold Cup winner | |
| Ron Patnoe (2) | Football | Coached champion Garfield Bulldogs | |
| Kermit Zarley (3) | Golf | Captured 1962 NCAA Championship | |
| 1963 | Ole Bardahl | Hydros | Operated the famed “Miss Bardahl” |
| Guyle Fielder (3) | Hockey | Totems star on ballot for last time | |
| Ted Nash (2) | Rowing | Won gold in Pan Am Games | |
| Rick Redman | Football | All-America linebacker at Washington | |
| Brian Sternberg | Track | Set 3 world pole vault records | |
| Anne Quast Welts (3) | Golf | Captured U.S. Women’s Amateur | |
| Jim Whittaker | Climbing | First American to summit Mt Everest | |
| Don Zech | Basketball | Won state championship with Blanchet | |
| 1964 | Ed Ferry | Rowing | Gold medal in coxed fours in Rome |
| Don Harney | Football | Coached Roosevelt High team | |
| Ruth Jessen | Golf | First Seattle golfer on LPGA Tour | |
| Dave Kopay | Football | Star halfback for the Huskies | |
| Ron Musson | Hydros | Driver of popular Miss Bardahl | |
| Rick Redman (2) | Football | All-Coast linebacker for Huskies | |
| Ron Santo (2) | Baseball | Breakout year for Chicago Cubs | |
| Gordie Sinclair | Hockey | Scored 56 points (14 goals) for Totems | |
| Freddie Ward | Boxing | Top-ranked Northwest fighter | |
| 1965 | Dale Flansaas | Gymnastics | Starred at U.S. Collegiate event |
| Steve Bramwell | Football | Star kick returner for Huskies | |
| Ron Musson (2) | Hydros | Driver of the popular Miss Bardahl | |
| John Goodwin | Football | Successful Metro League coach | |
| Steve Krause | Swimming | Set a world 1,500 swimming record | |
| Les Habegger | Basketball | Decorated coach from Seattle Pacific | |
| Boone Kirkman | Boxing | National AAU heavyweight champ | |
| Charlie Greene | Track | Won 100-yard sprint at NCAAs | |
| John Guenther (3) | Bowling | Edmonds bowler on PBA tour | |
| Jim Eden | Badminton | Nationally ranked singles player | |
| Eric Klein | Track | Captured two events in state meet | |
| 1966 | Doris Brown | Running | 1st woman to run sub-5-minute mile |
| Jerie Clark | Sailing | Won North American sailing crown | |
| Eddie Cotton (2) | Boxing | Lost world lightweight title fight | |
| Charlie Greene (2) | Track | Won 100 meters in AAU Championships | |
| Tom Greenlee | Football | DB Named AP 1st-team All-America | |
| John Guenther (4) | Bowling | Won 1966 USCB Masters | |
| The Kauffmans | Skating | Ron, Cynthia won U.S. pairs | |
| Bob Lemon | Baseball | Managed pennant-winning Angels | |
| Jerry Ruth | Drag Racing | NHRA champion drag racer | |
| Mira Slovak (3) | Hydros | Won 1966 APBA Gold Cup | |
| 1967 | John Carrell | Ice Skating | 1967 U.S. ice dancing champion |
| Lorna Dyer | Ice Skating | 1967 U.S. ice dancing champion | |
| Yoshi Hayawaki | Gymnastics | All-America gymnast at UW | |
| Tony Gasparovich | Football | Legendary Metro League football coach | |
| Dean Halverson | Football | All-Coast defensive end at Washington | |
| Harvey Lanman (2) | Preps | First to install artificial turf | |
| Bill MacFarland (2) | Hockey | Played for and coached Seattle Totems | |
| Richard Neil | Badminton | U.S.-ranked from Seattle Tennis Club | |
| Bruce Roberts | Curling | Skip, U.S. championship winner | |
| B. Schumacher (2) | Hydros | Won six races in the Miss Bardahl | |
| Dave Williams | Football | All-Coast receiver for Washington | |
| 1968 | Don Bies | Golf | Seattleite tied for fifth at U.S. Open |
| Steve Chess | Paralympics | Competed in International Paralympics | |
| Kaye Hall | Swimming | Won 2 gold medals at 1968 Olympics | |
| Eric Hughes | Gymnastics | Long-time UW gymnastics coach | |
| Janis Lee | Hydros | Outstanding NW racer | |
| Bob Rule | Basketball | Best player for expansion SuperSonics | |
| Judy Nagel | Skiing | Scored first win on World Cup circuit | |
| Ray Washburn | Baseball | Pasco ace no-hit the Giants Sept. 18 | |
| Al Worley | Football | Set NCAA record with 14 interceptions | |
| 1969 | George Babcock | Hydros | Driver dominated in the “Record-7” |
| Hugh Bowie | Trapshooting | Won a silver medal in World meet | |
| Lee Brock | Football | DE under Jim Owens named All-Pac-8 | |
| John Hanna | Hockey | 25 goals, 52 points for Seattle Totems | |
| Larry Owings | Wrestling | Pac-8 heavyweight champion from UW | |
| Tommy Harper | Baseball | Stole 73 bases for expansion Pilots | |
| John Hubbell | Track | All-America shot putter at UW | |
| Ken Still | Golf | Won PGA’s Florida Citrus Open | |
| Joyce Tanac | Gymnastics | 5 gold medals at AAU championships | |
| Lenny Wilkens | Basketball | Player/coach of Seattle SuperSonics |