A potted history of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award

The BBC Sports Personality of the Year award has been a fixture of Christmas television since 1954. I've created a timeline (below) of significant moments in the award's history, investigating the development of the show and featuring some previous winners. Links to other source materials are available by clicking on the images featured on the timeline.




The award has been won twice by three different sportsmen - Sir Henry Cooper, Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill. The double-winning racing drivers indicate the voting public's affection for the thrilling world of Grand Prix racing, which bodes well for Lewis Hamilton this year.

MY FAVOURITE WINNERS

• Paul Gascoigne
• Michael Owen
• Kelly Holmes
• Andrew Flintoff

PERSONALITY QUIRKS

• The dominance of athletics (17 winners) over the national sport of football (4)
• George Best never winning
• The disproportionate amount of success for figure skaters (4 wins)
• No recognition for Stephen Roche winning the Tour De France in 1987 (even in the Overseas category – Roche was from EIRE)
• Victory for non-British sportsmen – Greg Rudsedski, Barry McGuigan
• Oldest winner – Dai Rees – 44. There’s hope for me, yet
• Youngest winner – Michael Owen – 18
• No award for show host Sue Barker, despite her victory in the French Open in 1976

BATTLE OF THE SEXES

• 41 male victories versus 12 female victories

My next post will feature a vox pop about the BBC Sports Personality of the Year canvassing opinions from people in and around this year's host city, Liverpool.