Seattle Post-Intelligencer columnist/editor Royal Brougham created the Man of the Year sports awards 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 1950s (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Charles Adams | Golf | Led effort to acquire U.S. Public Links |
| Gene Boyd | Amateurs | Ran Collins Fieldhouse youth center | |
| Norman Buvick | Rowing | Rowed in 1948 Olympics in London | |
| Vic Denny | Tennis | President U.S. Lawn Tennis Assn. | |
| Don Heinrich | Football | All-America quarterback at UW | |
| The Kennedys | Ice Skating | Peter, Karol top pair in U.S. | |
| Pat Lesser | Golf | Won U.S. Women’s Amateur | |
| Kid Matthews | Boxing | Nationally ranked lightheavy contender | |
| Mike Monroe | Football | University of Washington letterman | |
| Dick Rall | Boxing | Up-and-coming boxing sensation | |
| Stan Sayres | Hydros | Set world reord on Lake Washington | |
| Jim Wilson | Baseball | Won 24 games (2.95 ERA) for Rainiers | |
| 1951 | H. Bendele (3) | Football | Successful Ballard High coach |
| Jerry Bryant | Seafair | Pioneer in developing annual event | |
| Alice Bull | Shooting | Captain UW rifle team | |
| Frances Dorsey | Ice Skating | Competed in world championships | |
| Tippy Dye | Basketball | Led Huskies to 24-6 record | |
| Dick Francisco | Boxing | Washington Athletic Club coach | |
| Jim Rivera | Baseball | Named PCL’s Most Valuable Player | |
| Tim Sedgwick | Swimming | Locally renowned swimming coach | |
| Kid Matthews (2) | Boxing | Nationally ranked light heavy contender | |
| Bob Nelson | Bowling | Got Bowling Congress event for Seattle | |
| Hugh McElhenny | Football | UW’s leading rusher, TD scorer | |
| Johnny O’Brien | Basketball | Seattle University All-America | |
| 1952 | Ome Daiber | Climbing | Led mountain rescues since 1926 |
| Stanley Dollar | Hydroplanes | Top driver on the 1952 hydro circuit | |
| Don Heinrich (2) | Football | Named All-America for second time | |
| Bob Houbregs | Basketball | All-PCC, led UW to 25-6 record | |
| Vern Kindsfather | Baseball | Won 21 games (2.40 ERA) for Rainiers | |
| Harvey Lanman | Football | Won city’s 1952 prep football title | |
| Pat Lesser (2) | Golf | Rising golfer on U.S. amatuer circuit | |
| J. O’Brien (2) | Basketball | Led Seattle U. win over Globetrotters | |
| Clarence Pautzke | Outdoors | Promoted conservation issues | |
| Eddie Salvino | Dogs | Dog “Ace” won NW retriever trials | |
| Shorty Templeman | Auto Racing | USAC champion in midget cars | |
| Sammy White (2) | Baseball | Former UW basketball player in majors | |
| 1953 | Milt Bohart | Football | All-Coast guard for UW Huskies |
| Ellis Coder | Rowing | Former star on UW rowing team | |
| Tippy Dye (2) | Basketball | Led Huskies to first Final Four in K.C. | |
| Pat Firth | Ice Skating | Highly ranked U.S. figure skater | |
| Frank Gilman | Amateurs | One of city’s top amateur golfers | |
| Bob Houbregs (2) | Basketball | NCAA Player of the Year, Final Four | |
| Ben Moring | Track | SPU’s NAIA titlist in the 880-yard run | |
| Pete Rademacher | Boxing | Rising amateur in heavyweight division | |
| Pete Schofning | Climbing | Second climber nominated in 2 years | |
| Rex Scott | Basketball | Coach of the Cleveland High Eagles | |
| Arnie Weinmeister | Football | Three-time All-Pro with NY Giants | |
| Mike Welsch | Hydros | Crew chief of the Slo-Mo-IV | |
| 1954 | Janet Burr Bray | Skiing | Won several events on Northwest circuit |
| Tommy Byrne | Baseball | 20-game winner for Seattle Rainiers | |
| Roy Campbell | Golf | Shot his age (68) at Seattle Golf Club | |
| Eddie Draper | Golf | Captured Northwest Open tournament | |
| Lou Fageol | Hydros | Captured APBA Gold Cup | |
| Bob Fesler | Softball | Fastpitch star signed Rainiers contract | |
| Johnny Guenther | Bowling | Seattle’s top entry on PBA Tour | |
| Denny Meyer | Track | Top two-miler for the UW Huskies | |
| Arnold Riegger (2) | Trapshoot | Won Grand American Trapshoot | |
| Solly Saalwaechter | Basketball | Prep coach at Queen Anne High | |
| Jack Torney | Swimming | “Father” of Washington prep swimming | |
| Jack Turner | Auto Racing | Seattle-based Indy-car driver | |
| 1955 | Bob Balcena | Baseball | One of top RBI producers for Rainiers |
| Marlene Belliinger | Shooting | Master small-bore rifle champ | |
| Guyle Fielder | Hockey | Leading scorer for Seattle Totems | |
| Clarence Hislop | Ice Skating | Operated the Ballard Ice Arena | |
| Janet Hopps | Tennis | Top female player in Northwest | |
| Bob Jacobs | Baseball | SS for City League’s West Seattle team | |
| Ted Jones | Hydros | Designed Slo-Mo hydroplane series | |
| Pat Lesser (3) | Golf | Won U.S. Women’s Amateur title | |
| Swede Lindquist | Football | Head coach of the Garfield Bulldogs | |
| Fred Robinson | Football | One of top players on UW Huskies | |
| Ragnar Ulland | Ski Jumping | Pacific Northwest’s top ski jumper | |
| 1956 | Keith Allen | Hockey | Head coach of the Seattle Totems |
| H. Bendele (4) | Football | Successful Ballard High coach | |
| Frank Fidler | Basketball | Head coach at Garfield High School | |
| J. Gunderson | Golf | One of the nation’s top amateurs | |
| Alan Holt | Sailing | Renowned Puget Sound sailor | |
| Corky Lewis | Football | One of top players for the Huskies | |
| Bill Muncey | Hydros | Emerged as top hydroplane driver | |
| P. Rademacher (2) | Boxing | Won gold medal at Olympic Games | |
| Nancy Ramey | Swimming | Olympic silver medal in 100 butterfly | |
| Billy Schumacher | Hydros | Hot young driver on hydro circuit | |
| Elmer Singleton | Baseball | Went 18-8 (2.56 ERA) for Rainiers | |
| 1957 | Elgin Baylor | Basketball | Star scorer, rebounder for Seattle U. |
| John Boitano | Football | Successful coach at Garfield High | |
| Norm Dalthorp | Basketball | NW basketball official | |
| Vic Denny (2) | Tennis | One-time president of USLTA | |
| John Fromm | Track | Pacific Lutheran All-American performer | |
| Ted Frost | Rowing | Starred for Lake Washington Rowing | |
| Pete Gatanini (2) | Bowling | All-time Seattle bowling legend | |
| J. Gunderson (2) | Golf | Won U.S. Women’s Amateur | |
| Jimmy Jones | Football | All-Coast fullback for UW Huskies | |
| Bill Kennedy | Baseball | 9-3 record, 1.16 ERA for Rainiers | |
| Nancy Ramey (2) | Swimming | Champion in butterfly | |
| Jack Regas | Hydros | Mile record 187.627 in Hawaii KAI III | |
| Bob Rogers | Rowing | Top oarsmen for UW rowing team | |
| 1958 | Elgin Baylor (2) | Basketball | Led Seattle U. to NCAA Final Four |
| Ted Clarke (2) | Squash | Eight-time city squash champion | |
| Maxine Conover | Cycling | U.S. Women’s Cycling champion | |
| Guyle Fielder | Hockey | Totems star and WHL Most Valuable | |
| Esther Johnson | Bowling | City match-game bowling champion | |
| Vada Pinson | Baseball | Outstanding rookie for Rainiers | |
| Anne Quast | Golf | Captured U.S. Women’s Amateur | |
| Nancy Ramey (3) | Swimming | Won 6 national titles, set 3 world marks | |
| John Sayre | Rowing | Led Huskies’ win over the Russians | |
| Mira Slovak | Hydros | American Speedboat title in Miss Bardahl | |
| Kermit Zarley | Golf | Seattle golfer starred at Univ. of Houston | |
| 1959 | John Boitano (2) | Football | Successful prep coach at Garfield |
| Rudy Filion | Hockey | Star player for Seattle Totems | |
| Dean Geddes | Auto Racing | Pacific Coast sports car champion | |
| Green Lake Crew | Rowing | Won gold medal at Pan Am Games | |
| J. Guenther (2) | Bowling | Seattleite starred on pro bowling tour | |
| Mary Lyford | Equestrian | Pacific Northwest champion | |
| Jim Owens | Football | Coached UW to Rose Bowl win | |
| Bob Schloredt | Football | MVP of the 1960 Rose Bowl game | |
| Mira Slovak (2) | Hydros | Won 1959 President’s Cup on Potomac | |
| Phil Smith | Sportsman | Lauded for efforts to improve outdoors | |
| Bill Wright | Golf | 1st African American to win USGA title | |
| Amy Yee | Tennis | Taught sport to thousands in Seattle |