ESPYs Rewind: History of Fan Voted Winners
In 2004, the first ever fan balloting determined the ESPY winners with more than 10.5 million votes in all 36 ESPY Awards categories, including the 19 cross-cutter honors that pit athletes from different sports against each other. Lance Armstrong took the honors for Best Male Athlete, Former UCONN basketball star and current Phoenix Mercury player Diana Taurasi for Best Female Athlete, The Detroit Pistons won Best Team, Annika Sorenstam won Best Female Golfer, and Serena Williams won Best Female Tennis Player.
ESPYs Rewind: Winners Ten Years Ago
Ten year’s ago at the 1998 ESPY Awards, baseball star Ken Griffey, Jr. and golfer Tiger Woods were named co-winners of the Male Athlete of the Year Award, while Mia Hamm, MVP of soccer’s U.S. Women’s Cup ’97, was named the Female Athlete of the Year. Other top awards went to the Denver Broncos for Team of the Year and boxer Evander Holyfield, basketball’s Michael Jordan and tennis’ Pete Sampras all in their respective Performer of the Year categories.
ESPYs Rewind: Winners of First ESPY Awards
In 1993, at the inaugural ESPY Awards, the Dallas Cowboys won team of the year, Chicago Bull’s Michael Jordan won for Outstanding Male Athlete, Christian Laettner won College Basketball Player of the Year, Monica Seles won for Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year and Women’s Tennis Performer of the Year while Francisco Cabrera won Baseball Play of the Year.
ESPYs Rewind: Winners in Basketball
Chicago Bull’s Michael Jordan won Outstanding Men’s Pro Basketball Performer of the Year four times (1993, 1997, 1998 and 1999). Both winning twice for Outstanding Men’s Pro Basketball Performer of the Year are Houston Rockets’ Hakeem Olajuwon (1995, 1996) and Los Angeles Lakers’ Shaquille O’Neal (2001, 2002). UConn Women’s Hoops won Outstanding Team of the Year in 1996 and the Los Angeles Lakers won in 2002. In 2005, Dwyane Wade took home an ESPY for Best Breakthrough and was recognized by the fans for his career year with an ESPY for Best NBA Player.
ESPYs Rewind: Winners in Soccer
The U.S. Women’s World Cup Team won Outstanding Team of the Year in 2000. In 1999, Zinedine Zidane of France won Outstanding Soccer Performer of the Year with Mia Hamm winning three times in 2000, 2001 and 2005. Best Male Soccer Player went to Landon Donovan in 2002 and Ronaldo in 2003. Best Female Soccer Player went to Tiffeny Milbrett in 2002 and Katia in 2003.ESPYs Rewind: Winners in Tennis
Monica Seles took home the first ESPY for Outstanding Women’s Tennis Performer of the Year in 1993. Three time winners for the award are Steffi Graf (1994, 1996 and 1997) and Venus Williams (2001, 2002, 2006) and two time winner is Lindsay Davenport in (1999, 2000). Pete Sampras won for Outstanding Men’s Tennis Performer of the Year for six consecutive years in a row (1994 through1999) while Roger Federer won his third-straight ESPY for Best Male Tennis Player; in 2007.
ESPYs Rewind: Winners in Hockey
Pittsburgh Penguins’ Mario Lemieux took home an ESPY for Outanding Pro Hockey Performer of the Year three times (1993, 1994 and 1998). Winners in this category also include New York Rangers’ Mark Messier in 1995, Philadelphia Flyers’ Eric Lindros in 1996, Colorado Avalanche’s Joe Sakic in 1997 and Buffalo Sabres’ Dominik Hasek won twice, 1999 and again in 2000.
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