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Complete list of Sports Illustrated's 'Sportsperson of the Year' winners

December 14, 2015 19:14 IST

Women's tennis star Serena Williams was named the 2015 winner on Monday.

Williams is the first woman to be recognized with the honor as an individual since Mary Decker in 1983, and the magazine took the opportunity to rename its award from Sportsman of the Year to Sportsperson of the Year.

Following is a list of winners of the Sportsperson of the Year award by Sports Illustrated magazine.

Serena Williams

IMAGE: USA’s Serena Williams plays a forehand. Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

1956 - Bobby Morrow, Track

1957 - Stan Musial, Baseball

1958 - Rafer Johnson, Track

1959 - Ingemar Johansson, Boxing

1960 - Arnold Palmer, Golf

1961 - Jerry Lucas, College Basketball

1962 - Terry Baker, College Football

1963 - Pete Rozelle, Pro Football

1964 - Ken Venturi, Golf

1965 - Sandy Koufax, Baseball

1966 - Jim Ryun, Track

1967 - Carl Yastrzemski, Baseball

1968 - Bill Russell, Pro Basketball

1969 - Tom Seaver, Baseball

1970 - Bobby Orr, Pro Hockey

1971 - Lee Trevino, Golf

1972 - Billie Jean King, Tennis; John Wooden, College Basketball

1973 - Jackie Stewart, Auto Racing

1974 - Muhammad Ali, Boxing

1975 - Pete Rose, Baseball

1976 - Chris Evert, Tennis

1977 - Steve Cauthen, Horse Racing

1978 - Jack Nicklaus, Golf

1979 - Terry Bradshaw, Pro Football; Willie Stargell, Baseball

1980 - US Olympic Hockey Team

1981 - Sugar Ray Leonard, Boxing

1982 - Wayne Gretzky, Pro Hockey

1983 - Mary Decker, Track

1984 - Edwin Moses, Track; Mary Lou Retton, Gymnastics

1985 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Pro Basketball

1986 - Joe Paterno, College Football

1987 - Athletes Who Care

1988 - Orel Hershiser, Baseball

1989 - Greg LeMond, Cycling

1990 - Joe Montana, Pro Football

1991 - Michael Jordan, Pro Basketball

1992 - Arthur Ashe,Tennis

1993 - Don Shula, Pro Football

1994 - Bonnie Blair, Speed Skating; Johann Olav Koss, Speed Skating

1995 - Cal Ripken Jr., Baseball

1996 - Tiger Woods, Golf

1997 - Dean Smith, College Basketball

1998 - Mark McGwire, Baseball; Sammy Sosa, Baseball

1999 - U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team

2000 - Tiger Woods, Golf

2001 - Randy Johnson, Baseball; Curt Schilling, Baseball

2002 - Lance Armstrong, Cycling

2003 - Tim Duncan, Pro Basketball; David Robinson, Pro Basketball

2004 - Boston Red Sox

2005 - Tom Brady, Pro Football

2006 - Dwyane Wade, Pro Basketball

2007 - Brett Favre, Pro Football

2008 - Michael Phelps, Swimming

2009 - Derek Jeter, Baseball

2010 - Drew Brees, Pro Football

2011 - Pat Summitt, College Basketball; Mike Krzyzewski, College Basketball

2012 - LeBron James, Pro Basketball

2013 - Peyton Manning, Pro Football

2014 - Madison Bumgarner, Baseball 

2015 - Serena Williams, Tennis

Source: REUTERS
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