Each year Sports Illustrated Magazine presents its Sports Person of the Year award show with candidates from nearly every genre of sports highlighted by category…..baseball, football, boxing, baseball etc. This 1984 version of the awards show was produced by HBO and features host Merlin Olsen….who introduces famous stars and past winners of the award that turn around and highlight the athletes from each category….who were nominated for this prestigious award.
St Louis Cardinals HOF 1B Stan The Man Musial….who had been the 1957 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year Award recipient….was introduced with highlights of his 1957 National League MVP season….when Musial tells a story surrounding his 5 for 5 day at bat on the last day of the season…..just before he introduces the 1984 candidates from baseball for the award…..which included Tigers relief pitcher Willie Hernandez after winning the AL MVP and Cy Young award….plus KC Royals relief pitcher Dan Quisenberry after a season with 46 sames and 6 wins….then came Yanks 1B Don Mattingly after winning the AL batting title on the last day of the season over teammate Dave Winfield…..who was followed by SD Padres OF Tony Gwynn after winning the NL batting title….followed by Cubs 2B Ryne Sandberg after winning the NL MVP award….then came Cubs Rick Sutcliffe after winning the NL Cy Young award….and finishing with Tigers SS Alan Trammell….who led Detroit with a .314 batting average and his 4th gold glove award….while winning World Series MVP award after leading the Tigers to the World Championship.
