Griffith Joyner, Evans and Biondi Among 48 Sullivan Award Nominees

Forty U.S. Olympians, including gold medalists Florence Griffith Joyner in track and Janet Evans and Matt Biondi in swimming, are among the record 48 nominees for the 1988 Amateur Athletic Union’s Sullivan Award.

Ten finalists will be announced Dec. 20. The winner will be announced March 6 at the annual Sullivan Award dinner at Indianapolis.

Of the 48 nominees, 36 represented the United States in the 1988 Summer Games at Seoul and 4 competed in the Winter Games at Calgary, Canada.

The Sullivan Award, first presented in 1930, is given each year to the nation’s outstanding amateur athlete. Last year’s winner was baseball pitcher Jim Abbott, also an ’88 Olympian and the Angels’ top choice in the major league draft. Two years ago, the winner was heptathlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee, a 2-time gold medalist in ’88.

The 10 finalists will be selected by a 24-member committee headed by former swimmer and 1977 Sullivan Award winner John Naber. The winner will be chosen by a vote of about 2,500 sportswriters and broadcasters, AAU officials and past winners.

Other 1988 Olympians nominated for this year’s award are:

Evelyn Ashford, track and field; Greg Barton, kayak; Bonnie Blair, speed skating; Brian Boitano, figure skating; Michael Carbajal, boxing; Richard Davis, soccer; Teresa Edwards, basketball; Todd Foster, boxing; Dan Jansen, speed skating; Leora Jones, team handball; Roy Jones, boxing; Karen and Sarah Josephson, synchronized swimming; Kristine Karlson, rowing; Karch Kiraly, volleyball; David Krmpotich, rowing; Mark Lewis, bowling, and Lynnette Love, taekwondo.

Also, Danny Manning, basketball; Mario Martinez, weightlifting; Frank Masley, luge; Andrew Maynard, boxing; Katrina McClain, basketball; Debbie McMullen, bowling; Ray Mercer, boxing; Phoebe Mills, gymnastics; Michele Mitchell, diving; Kenny Monday, wrestling; Robert Nieman, modern pentathlon; Lynda Norry, bowling; Terry Schroeder, water polo; Patricia Shea, field hockey; Jackie Sellers, bowling; John Smith, wrestling; Kelly Garrison-Steves, gymnastics; Robin Ventura, baseball, and Connie Young, cycling.

The eight Sullivan nominees who did not compete in the Olympics are:

Toni Bevelock, racquetball; Diana Golden, Alpine skiing; Michele Granger, softball; Chris Jogis, badminton; Steve Kerr, basketball; Andy Roberts, racquetball; Raymond Scott, badminton, and Priscilla Sweeney, basketball.