The Best Moment ESPY Award has been conferred annually since 2001 on the moment or series of moments transpiring in a play in a single game or individual match or event, across a single regular season or playoff game, or across a season, irrespective of specific sport, contested, in all cases, professionally under the auspices of one of the four major leagues in the united States and Canada, collegiately under the auspices of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, or internationally under the auspices of a sport federation, adjudged to the most remarkable or best in a given calendar year; the primary participant in the moment is generally regarded as the award's recipient.
Between 2001 and 2004, the award voting panel comprised variously fans; sportswriters and broadcasters, sports executives, and retired sportspersons, termed collectively experts; and ESPN personalities, but balloting thereafter has been exclusively by fans over the Internet from amongst choices selected by the ESPN Select Nominating Committee. In 2001, the ESPY Awards ceremony was conducted in February and awards conferred reflected performance and achievement over the twelve months previous to presentation; since 2002, awards have been presented in July to reflect performance and achievement also over a twelve-month period. [1] There was no voting in 2015, 2016, and 2017, but the 2018 winner was determined by voting. There was no voting in 2019.
Year of award | Game or event | Date | Competition, governing body, or league | Sport | Location | Moment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | 2001 MLB season regular season game between the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers | 6 October 2001 | Major League Baseball (MLB) | Baseball | Pacific Bell Park San Francisco, United States | San Francisco Giants left fielder Barry Bonds hits his 71st home run of the 2001 MLB season to break Mark McGwire's single-season home run record. |
2003 | 2002 US Open men's singles championship | 8 September 2002 | ATP Tour | Tennis | Arthur Ashe Stadium New York City, United States | American Pete Sampras, seeded seventeenth, defeats countrymate Andre Agassi, 6–3, 6–4, 5–7, 6–4, to capture his fourteenth career Grand Slam singles title |
2004 | Monday Night Football game in the penultimate week of the 2003 NFL season regular season between the Green Bay Packers and Oakland Raiders | 22 December 2003 | National Football League (NFL) | American football | Network Associates Coliseum Oakland, California, United States | Packers quarterback Brett Favre completes 22 of 30 passes attempted for 399 yards and four touchdowns to post a 154.86 quarterback rating one day after the death of his father |
2005 | Game six of a conference semifinal between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers in the 2005 NBA Playoffs | 19 May 2005 | National Basketball Association (NBA) | Basketball | Conseco Fieldhouse Indianapolis, United States | Pacers shooting guard Reggie Miller converts seven two-point and four three-point field goals and one free throw to score 27 points and to post a 68.8 per cent shooting percentage in the final game of his eighteen-season NBA career and receives an extended ovation when Pistons head coach Larry Brown calls a timeout in order that his team might also applaud Miller |
2006 | Regular season high school game between the Greece Athena High School Trojans and the Spencerport High School Rangers | 16 February 2006 | New York State Public High School Athletic Association | Basketball | Greece Athena High School Rochester, New York, United States | Trojans manager Jason McElwain, an autistic senior, is inserted by coach Jim Johnson into the Trojans' final regular season home game and, having shot an air ball and missed a layup, successfully converts one two-point and six three-point field goals to score twenty points across the game's final four minutes |
2007 | Monday Night Football game in the third week of the 2006 NFL season regular season between the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints | 25 September 2006 | National Football League (NFL) | American football | Louisiana Superdome New Orleans, United States | The Saints, in their first game in New Orleans and at the Superdome since the structure was damaged by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 and since it underwent a US$185 million renovation, defeat the Falcons 23–3 in a nationally televised game that earns the second-largest-ever cable television audience |
2008 | College softball game in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference between the Central Washington University Wildcats and the Western Oregon University Wolves | 26 April 2008 | National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II | Softball | Central Washington University Ellensburg, Washington, United States | After Wolves right fielder Sara Tucholsky hits her first career home run in a conference tournament doubleheader but tears her anterior cruciate ligament rounding first base, Wildcats first baseman Mallory Holtman and shortstop Liz Wallace carry Tucholsky around the bases lest her home run should be disallowed upon her receiving assistance from a teammate |
2009 | The Men's 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay event at the 2008 Summer Olympics. | 11 August 2008 | International Olympic Committee (IOC) | Swimming | Beijing National Aquatics Centre | Michael Phelps, Garrett Weber-Gale, Cullen Jones and Jason Lezak squeak out a come-from-behind victory in what would be Phelps' second of a record-breaking 8 gold medals at a single Olympics. |
2010 | Match at the 2010 FIFA World Cup between the US men's national soccer team and the Algeria men's national soccer team | 23 June 2010 | FIFA | Soccer | Loftus Versfeld Stadium | Landon Donovan scored in added time to give the US a 1–0 victory over Algeria, which put the US in the second round of the World Cup. |
2011 | Game 1 of the 2010 National League Division Series between the Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies | October 6, 2010 | Major League Baseball (MLB) | Baseball | Citizens Bank Park | Roy Halladay threw the first no-hitter in the MLB postseason since Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series. |
2012 | Divisional Round game of the 2011–12 NFL playoffs between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Denver Broncos | January 8, 2012 | National Football League (NFL) | American Football | Sports Authority Field at Mile High | Tim Tebow threw an 80-yard touchdown pass on the first play of overtime, leading the Broncos to a 29–23 upset victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The play beat out Derek Jeter's 3000th hit, the Tampa Bay Rays' walk-off win on the final day of the MLB regular season that sent them to the playoffs, and Bubba Watson's win at The Masters.[ citation needed ] |
2013 | Spring football game at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln | April 6, 2013 | NCAA | American Football | Memorial Stadium | Jack Hoffman, a seven-year-old Nebraska fan suffering from brain cancer, is given the ball in the third quarter of the Red and White spring football game. He runs the ball 69 yards for a touchdown. |
2014 | The U.S. men's soccer team defeating Ghana 2–1 in its opening game of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. | June 16, 2014 | FIFA | Soccer | Arena das Dunas | After Ghana tied the game, 21-year-old defender John Brooks headed in a goal off a Graham Zusi corner kick in the 86th minute for the game-winning goal. |
2015 | Regular-season women's basketball game between the Hiram College Terriers and Mount St. Joseph University Lions | November 2, 2014 | NCAA Division III | Basketball | Cintas Center | Lauren Hill, a Mount St. Joseph freshman battling an inoperable brain tumor that would claim her life five months later, scores the first and last baskets in what became the most-attended Division III women's game in history. |
2016 | 2016 NBA Finals | June 2–19, 2016 | NBA | Basketball | Quicken Loans Arena | The Cleveland Cavaliers, behind 3–1 to the Golden State Warriors, who had won a record 73 games in the 2015–16 season, come back to win the championship. It was the first title Cleveland had won in a major sport since the 1964 Cleveland Browns. |
2017 | 2016 World Series | October 25 – November 2, 2016 | Major League Baseball | Baseball | Wrigley Field Progressive Field Cleveland, Ohio | The Chicago Cubs, behind 3–1 to the Cleveland Indians, rallied to win the World Series with by winning Games 5, 6 and 7, capping the comeback with an 8–7 10-inning win in Game 7. It was the Cubs' first World Series since 1908. |
2018 | 2017-18 NFL playoffs | January 14, 2018 | National Football League | American football | U.S. Bank Stadium | Vikings quarterback Case Keenum threw a 61-yard TD pass to Stefon Diggs on the game's last play to give the Vikings a 29–24 come-from-behind victory over the Saints. The play came to be known as the Minneapolis Miracle. [2] |
2019 | Not applicable | Not applicable | National Football League, FIS, National Basketball Association | American football, Alpine skiing, basketball | Instead of a play or a game, Rob Gronkowski, Lindsey Vonn and Dwyane Wade—who announced their retirements in 2019—were honored for their achievements during their careers. |
The ESPY Awards is an annual American awards show produced by ESPN since 1993, recognizing individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance during the calendar year preceding a given annual ceremony. From 2015 to 2019, and since 2021, the ceremony has aired live on sister broadcast television network ABC, while ESPN continues to air them in the form of replays. Because of the ceremony's rescheduling prior to the 2002 iteration thereof, awards presented in 2002 were for achievement and performances during the seventeen-plus previous months. As the similarly styled Grammy, Emmy, Academy Award, and Tony, the ESPYs are hosted by a contemporary celebrity; the style, though, is lighter, more relaxed and self-referential than many other awards shows, with comedic sketches usually included.
The Best Team ESPY Award has been presented annually since 1993 to the professional, collegiate, or national team, irrespective of nationality or sport contested, adjudged to be the best in a specified twelve-month period preceding the awards ceremony. In 2001, the award was bifurcated and the resulting honors were styled as the College Team of the Year and Pro Team of the Year ESPY Awards; the awards were joined once more in 2002.
The Best Boxer ESPY Award is presented annually to the professional or amateur boxer, irrespective of nationality, adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year. Active between 1993 and 2006, the Best Boxer ESPY Award was subsumed from 2007-2018 by the Best Fighter ESPY Award, for which both boxers and mixed martial arts fighters were eligible, and then revived in 2019 when a separate ESPY Award was created for Best MMA Fighter.
The Best Female Golfer ESPY Award has been presented annually in two different periods to the professional female golfer adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year. It was originally presented between 1993 and 2004, but was, along with the parallel Best Male Golfer ESPY Award, subsumed in 2005 by the Best Golfer ESPY Award. In 2009, the awards were again bifurcated by sex.
The Best Male Golfer ESPY Award has been presented annually in two different periods to the professional male golfer adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year. It was originally presented between 1993 and 2004, but was, along with the parallel Best Female Golfer ESPY Award, subsumed in 2005 by the Best Golfer ESPY Award. The Best Male and Female Golfer Awards returned to the ESPY list in 2009.
The Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award has been presented annually since 1993 to the professional female tennis player adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year.
The Best Coach/Manager ESPY Award has been presented annually since 1993 to the head coach or manager of a team contesting play in a professional North American or collegiate sports league adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year.
The Best Male Track Athlete ESPY Award was presented annually between 1993 and 2006 to the male track and field athlete, irrespective of nationality, adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year. Beginning in 2007, this award was combined with the parallel Best Female Track Athlete ESPY Award into the single Best Track and Field Athlete ESPY Award.
The Best Female Track Athlete ESPY Award was presented annually between 1993 and 2006 to the female track and field athlete, irrespective of nationality, adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year. Beginning in 2007, this award was combined with the parallel Best Male Track Athlete ESPY Award into the single Best Track and Field Athlete ESPY Award.
The Best Jockey ESPY Award, known alternatively as the Jockey of the Year ESPY Award, has been presented annually since 1994 to the thoroughbred horse racing jockey, irrespective of nationality or gender, adjudged to be the best of those riding in the United States in a given calendar year.
The Best Bowler ESPY Award has been presented annually since 1995 to the best ten-pin bowler, irrespective of gender, adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year of those contesting the sport professionally in the United States. To date, the award has only been presented to male bowlers.
The Best Outdoor Sportsman ESPY Award was an annual award honoring the achievements of an athlete from the world of outdoor sports —understood as those related to outdoor recreation and nature-based occupation, including sport fishing, most especially of bass, and lumberjacking, most especially the logrolling, wood chopping, and high-climbing disciplines thereof—on an amateur or professional level primarily in the United States or Canada. It was first presented as part of the ESPY Awards at the 2002 edition after broadcaster ESPN purchased the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society in mid-2001. The Best Outdoor Sportsman ESPY Award trophy, designed by sculptor Lawrence Nowlan, was given to the outdoor sportsperson adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year. From the 2004 to 2008 ceremonies, the winner was chosen by online voting through choices selected by the ESPN Select Nominating Committee. Before that, determination of the winners was made by an panel of experts. Through the 2001 iteration of the ESPY Awards, ceremonies were conducted in February of each year to honor achievements over the previous calendar year; awards presented thereafter are conferred in July and reflect performance from the June previous.
The Best Female Soccer Player ESPY Award was presented annually between 2002 and 2004 to the female soccer player adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year among those contesting the sport on the professional or international level. The award—and the Best Male Soccer Player ESPY Award—evolved from the Best Soccer Player ESPY Award, which was awarded in 2000 and 2001, and the latter once more absorbed the gender-specific awards in 2005.
The Best Male Soccer Player ESPY Award was presented annually to the male soccer player adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year amongst those contesting the sport on the professional or international level. The award, along with the Best Female Soccer Player ESPY Award, evolved from the Best Soccer Player ESPY Award, which was awarded in 2000 and 2001, and the latter once more absorbed the gender-specific awards in 2005.
The Best Game ESPY Award is an annual award honoring the achievements of a team who has performed the best play in the world of sports. It was first awarded as part of the ESPY Awards in 2002. The Best Game ESPY Award trophy, designed by sculptor Lawrence Nowlan, is awarded to the team on the single regular season or playoff game contested professionally under the auspices of one of the four major North American leagues or collegiately under the auspices of the National Collegiate Athletic Association adjudged, in view of its quality, competitiveness, excitement, and significance, to be the best. Since 2004, the winner has been chosen by online voting through choices selected by the ESPN Select Nominating Committee. Before that, determination of the winners was made by an panel of experts. Through the 2001 iteration of the ESPY Awards, ceremonies were conducted in February of each year to honor achievements over the previous calendar year; awards presented thereafter are conferred in July and reflect performance from the June previous.
The Best Comeback Athlete ESPY Award has been presented annually since 1993 to the sportsperson, irrespective of gender, contesting a team sport professionally under the auspices of one of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada or an individual sport on either an amateur or professional basis primarily in the United States or internationally under the auspices of a sport governing body adjudged to have made the most significant, profound, or impressive comeback from serious illness, injury, personal or familial hardship, retirement, or significant loss of form.
The Best Upset ESPY Award was conferred once each in 2004 and 2005 annually from 2007 until 2017 and again in 2019 to the team in a regular season or playoff game or series contested professionally under the auspices of one of the four major sports leagues in the United States and Canada or collegiately under the auspices of the National Collegiate Athletic Association adjudged to have completed the best, most significant, or most impressive upset in a given calendar year.
The Best Play ESPY Award has been conferred annually since 2002 on the play in a single regular season or playoff game contested professionally under the auspices of one of the four major leagues in the United States and Canada or collegiately under the auspices of the National Collegiate Athletic Association adjudged to be the most outstanding or best.
The Best Angler ESPY Award was an annual award honoring the achievements of an athlete from the world of angling. It was presented as part of the ESPY Awards at the 2006 ceremony and it replaced the non-gender specific Best Outdoor Sportsman ESPY Award before the latter accolade was reinstated for the 2007 edition. The Best Angler ESPY Award trophy, designed by sculptor Lawrence Nowlan, was presented to the amateur or professional angling sport fisherman, irrespective of gender or nationality, adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year; although the accolade may technically be presented to an angler of any fish, in practice only bass fishermen are considered as nominees. Balloting for the award is undertaken by fans over the Internet from between three and five choices selected by the ESPN Select Nominating Committee, which is composed of a panel of experts. It was conferred in July to reflect performance and achievement over the preceding twelve months. The sole winner of the Best Angler ESPY Award was Tammy Richardson, who finished runner-up in the final Women's Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings for the 2006 season.
The Under Armour Undeniable Performance ESPY Award was only awarded once, in 2006, on the player, irrespective of gender or nationality, adjudged to have made, in a given calendar year, the most significant, remarkable, and undeniable performance in a single regular season or playoff game contested professionally under the auspices of one of the four major North American leagues or collegiately under the auspices of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The award was one of two corporate-sponsored ESPYs; the titular sponsor designates criteria for selection consistent with its advertising campaigns.