▁past ▁president , ▁James ▁Edward ▁S ull ivan . ▁Based ▁on ▁the ▁qual ities ▁of ▁leadership , ▁character , ▁sport sm ans hip , ▁and ▁the ▁ide als ▁of ▁amateur ism , ▁the ▁AA U ▁S ull ivan ▁Award ▁" go es ▁far ▁beyond ▁athlet ic ▁accomplish ments ▁and ▁hon ors ▁those ▁who ▁have ▁shown ▁strong ▁moral ▁character ". ▁ ▁Final ists ▁are ▁selected ▁from ▁public ▁nomin ations ▁following ▁a ▁review ▁by ▁the ▁AA U ▁S ull ivan ▁Award ▁Executive ▁Committee . ▁ ▁Appro xim ately ▁ 1 0 ▁semi - final ists ▁are ▁chosen , ▁and ▁the ▁event ual ▁winner ▁is ▁determined ▁by ▁votes ▁from ▁various ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁nation wide ▁news ▁media , ▁former ▁w inners ▁and ▁AA U ▁personnel . ▁More ▁recently , ▁a ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁winner ' s ▁vote ▁has ▁been ▁determined ▁by ▁the ▁general ▁public . ▁ ▁Re cip ients ▁are ▁el ig ible ▁for ▁subsequent ▁awards , ▁although ▁this ▁has ▁yet ▁to ▁happen . ▁ ▁The ▁inaug ural ▁winner ▁of ▁the ▁award ▁was ▁gol fer ▁Bobby ▁Jones , ▁winner ▁of ▁ 1 3 ▁maj ors ▁between ▁ 1 9 2 3 ▁and ▁ 1 9 3 0 . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁female ▁recip ient , ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁was ▁sw immer ▁Ann ▁Curt is , ▁who ▁won ▁more ▁national ▁AA U ▁champion ships ▁than ▁any ▁other ▁woman . ▁ ▁W inners ▁ ▁Notes ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁* ▁Category : Am ateur ▁Athlet ic ▁Union ▁Category : American ▁sports ▁tro