Since first being presented in 1936 to Dr. Philip Edwards (who won five career Olympic medals in middle distance track), it has honoured the greatest athletes in the country. What is special about this award is that it doesn't discriminate in any way. It can be won by man or woman, amateur athlete or professional star, new kid on the block or experienced veteran. The trophy is voted on each year by a panel of journalists from across the country and is named after the longtime sportswriter and editor of the Toronto Star whose way with words and devotion to sports away from the typewriter put him in a class all his own. Canada's Sports Hall of Fame is proud to house one of this country's pre-eminent awards.

Previous Winners

2009 — Sidney Crosby, hockey
2008 — Chantal Petitclerc, wheelchair racing
2007 — Sidney Crosby, hockey
2006 — Cindy Klassen, speedskating
2005 — Steve Nash, basketball
2004 — Adam van Koeverden, kayaking
2003 — Mike Weir, golf
2002 — Catriona Le May Doan, speed skating
2001 — Jamie Salé & David Pelletier, figure skating
2000 — Daniel Igali, wrestling
1999 — Caroline Brunet, kayaking
1998 — Larry Walker, baseball
1997 — Jacques Villeneuve, auto racing
1996 — Donovan Bailey, athletics
1995 — Jacques Villeneuve, auto racing
1994 — Myriam Bédard, biathlon
1993 — Mario Lemieux, hockey
1992 — Mark Tewksbury, swimming
1991 — Silken Laumann, rowing
1990 — Kurt Browning, figure skating
1989 — Wayne Gretzky, hockey
1988 — Carolyn Waldo, synchronized swimming
1987 — Ben Johnson, track and field
1986 — Ben Johnson, track and field
1985 — Wayne Gretzky, hockey
1984 — Gaétan Boucher, speed skating
1983 — Rick Hansen, wheelchair multi-sport
1983 — Wayne Gretzky, hockey
1982 — Wayne Gretzky, hockey
1981 — Susan Nattrass, shooting
1980 — Terry Fox, Marathon of Hope
1979 — Sandra Post, golf
1978 — Ken Read, skiing
1978 — Graham Smith, swimming
1977 — Guy Lafleur, hockey
1976 — Sandy Hawley, horse racing
1975 — Bobby Clarke , hockey
1974 — Ferguson Jenkins, baseball
1973 — Sandy Hawley, horse racing
1972 — Phil Esposito, hockey
1971 — Hervé Filion, harness racing
1970 — Bobby Orr, hockey
1969 — Russ Jackson, football
1968 — Nancy Greene, skiing
1967 — Nancy Greene, skiing
1966 — Elaine Tanner, swimming
1965 — Petra Burka, figure skating
1964 — George Hungerford, rowing
1964 — Dr. Roger Jackson, rowing
1963 — Bill Crothers, track and field
1962 — Donald Jackson, figure skating
1961 — Bruce Kidd, track and field
1960 — Ann Heggtveit, skiing
1959 — Bob Paul, figure skating
1959 — Barbara Wagner, figure skating
1958 — Lucile Wheeler, skiing
1957 — Maurice Richard, hockey
1956 — Marlene Streit, golf
1955 — Beth Whittall, swimming
1954 — Marilyn Bell, swimming
1953 — Doug Hepburn, weightlifting
1952 — George Genereux, shooting
1951 — Marlene Streit, golf
1950 — Bob McFarlane, football, track and field
1949 — Cliff Lumsden, swimming
1948 — Barbara Ann Scott, figure skating
1947 — Barbara Ann Scott, figure skating
1946 — Joe Krol, football
1945 — Barbara Ann Scott, figure skating
1942-44 — not awarded—World War II
1941 — Theo Dubois, rowing
1940 — Gérard Côté, marathon
1939 — Bob Pirie, swimming
1938 — Bob Pearce, rowing
1937 — W. Marshall Cleland, equestrian sports
1936 — Phil Edwards, track and field