Introduction / Ross Bernstein -- Foreword / Joe Mauer -- Foreword / Lindsay Whalen -- Foreword / Kent Hrbek -- Foreword / Bud Grant -- 1948 : George Mikan : the Minneapolis Laker dynasty begins -- 1949 : Jim Pollard : the Lakers repeat -- 1950 : John Kundla : the Lakers make it three in a row -- 1951 : John Mayasich : the Eveleth HIgh School hockey dynasty -- 1952 : Vern Mikkelsen : the Lakers keep on rolling -- 1953 : Paul Giel : the Winona Phantom is the Heisman runner up -- 1954 : John Mariucci : the hockey Gophers make a run at the title -- 1955 : Chuck Mencel : the Gophers battle Iowa for the Big Ten Title -- 1956 : Dick Siebert : the baseball Gophers win the National Championship -- 1957 : Patty Berg : another incredible year for golf's grand dame -- 1958: Gene Mauch : the Minneapolis Millers win the Junior World Series -- 1959 : Elgin Baylor : the Lakers make one last run for the title -- 1960 : Sandy Stephens : the football Gophers win the National Championship -- 1961 : Bobby Bell : the football Gophers win the Rose Bowl -- 1962 : Carl Eller : the football Gophers play a wild one in Wisconsin -- 1963 : John Gagliardi : St. John's University Wins its first National Championship -- 1964 : Harmon Killebrew : Killer wins the home run crown for the Twins -- 1965 : Zoilo Versalles : the Twins make it to the World Series -- 1966 : Jim Kaat : Kitty wins 25 for the Twins -- 1967 : Lou Nanne : the North Stars hit the ice -- 1968 : Jim Marshall : the Vikings win their first Central Division crown -- 1969 : Joe Kapp : the Vikings make it to the Super Bowl -- 1970 : Tony Oliva : the Twins win the West -- 1971 : Alan Page : an MVP season for one of the game's best ever -- 1972 : Bill Musselman : the Gopher basketball "Iron Five" -- 1973 : Chuck Foreman : the Vikings make a run at the Super Bowl -- 1974 : Herb Brooks : the hockey Gophers win the National championship -- 1975 : Fran Tarkenton : the infamous "Hail Mary" --

1976 : Ahmad Rashad : the Vikings final run at the big prize -- 1977 : Rod Carew : the incredible year of Twins star Rod Carew -- 1978 : Janet Karvonen : the New York Mills High School girls basketball dynasty -- 1979 : Neal Broten : the hockey Gophers are National Champions -- 1980 : Kevin McHale : the basketball Gophers make a run at the N.I.T. Title -- 1981 : Bobby Smith : the North Stars take a shot at Lord Stanley's Cup -- 1982 : Trent Tucker : the basketball Gophers win the Big Ten Championship -- 1983 : Bud Grant : a Vikings coaching legend retires -- 1984 : Bill Watson & Tom Curves : UM-Duluth plays one of the greatest finals in NCAA history -- 1985 : Rickey Foggier : The football Gophers win the Independence Bowl -- 1986 : Darrell Thompson : the football Gophers make it to the Liberty Bowl -- 1987 : Kent Hrbek : the Cinderella Twins win the World Series -- 1988 : Tom Kelly : the Twins break the American League attendance record -- 1989 : Doug Woog : the hockey Gophers lose a heartbreaker -- 1990 : Willie Burton : the basketball Gophers make it to the NCAA's Elite Eight -- 1991 : Jack Morris : the worst to first Twins win the pennant -- 1992 : Kirby Puckett : the Puck inks a deal that makes him a Twin for Life -- 1993 : Dave Winfield : Winny comes home and hits no. 3,000 for the Twins -- 1994 : Cris Carter : CC breaks the NFL's single season receptions record -- 1995 : Kevin Garnett : the Timberwolves draft a high school phenom -- 1996 : Paul Molitor : Molly comes home and hits no. 3,000 for the Twins -- 1997 : Bobby Jackson : March Madness as the basketball Gophers go to the Final Four -- 1998 : Randy Moss : the Vikings lose a heartbreaker in the NFC title game -- 1999 : Daunte Culpepper : the Vikings make another playoff run -- 2000 : Darby Hendrickson : the Minnesota wild hit the Ice -- 2001 : J Robinson : the Gopher wrestlers finally win it all -- 2002 : Jordon Leopold : the hockey Gophers win it all -- 2003 : Marian Gaborik : the Wild make it to the conference finals -- 2004 : Lindsay Whalen : the Lady Gophers go to the Final Four -- 2005 : Krissy Wendell & Natalie Darwitz : the Lady Gophers win back-to-back NCAA Titles -- 2006 : Joe Mauer & Justin Morneau : the Twins win the Central Division -- 2007 : Adrian Peterson : the Vikings draft a rookie phenom -- 2008 : mark Parrish : the Wild win the Northwest Division crown -- Bronco Nagurski sidebar : the greatest athlete from the first 100 years of MN sports.