Derek Jeter, who led the New York Yankees to a World Series win over the Philadelphia Phillies this year, has been named the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year. He is the first Yankee to win the prestigious award and joins a list of famous previous winners... [GALLO/GETTY]
Published On 1 Dec 20091 Dec 2009
Roger Bannister was not only the first man to ever run a sub-four-minute mile but his feat in 1954 also saw him become the first Sportsman of the Year [GALLO/GETTY]
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Swedish former world heavyweight champion Ingemar Johansson, who died earlier this year aged 76, won the award in 1956. Like Bannister he is one of a handful of non-American winners [EPA]
Jackie Stewart won in 1973 after becoming Formula One world champion [GALLO/GETTY]
The legendary Muhammad Ali, considered by many as the greatest boxer in history, had a long and distinguished career that saw him win the award in 1974 [GALLO/GETTY]
Like Ali, Jack Nicklaus is another sporting legend. Still the winner of the most golf majors ever, he won in 1978 the year he claimed his third and final British Open title [GALLO/GETTY]
Wayne Gretzky is another man widely regarded as the finest practitioner ever of his sport. His most succesful period was with the Edmonton Oilers where he won four Stanley Cups including 1982, the year he was named as Sportsman of the Year and NHL MVP [GALLO/GETTY]
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Michael Jordan, widely hailed as basketball's finest, was honoured in 1991 when as well as being the league's best player he led the Chicago Bulls to what was to be the first of six NBA titles [GALLO/GETTY]
Arthur Ashe was known as much for his efforts to further civil rights and social causes as his tennis prowess that saw him win three Grand Slams between 1968 and 1975. He won the Sports Illustrated award in 1992 for his support of humanitarian causes, just one year before his death from a condition related to Aids [GALLO/GETTY]
This year's winner, Derek Jeter, is the latest baseball player to claim the award. He follows luminaries of the game including Cal Ripken Junior who won in 1995 in honour of breaking the record for playing in consecutive games [GALLO/GETTY]
Women have occasionally won the award such as in 1999 when the US women's football team were honoured for their World Cup win. The only team ever to win the award, which was renamed Sportswomen of the Year [GALLO/GETTY]
Tiger Woods, closing in on Jack Nicklaus' record of major wins, holds the distinction of being the only person to win the award twice. A feat he achieved in 2000 [GALLO/GETTY]
Dwyane Wade won in 2006 for leading the Miami Heat to its only NBA championship thus far and being named the finals MVP [GALLO/GETTY]
Michael Phelps claimed the award in 2008. By becoming the most succesful Olympian of all time and winning eight gold medals in Beijing, it was easy to see why [GALLO/GETTY]
