1972 – Karl Ludvigsen
1973 – Pete Lyons
1974 – Mike Knepper
1975 – Brock Yates
1976 – Ted West
1977 – Chris Economaki
Rich Taylor
1978 – David Abrahamson
1979 – Charles Fox
1980 – Don Sharp
1981 – No award given.
1982 – Tony Hogg
1983 – Tony Hogg
1984 – Peter Egan
1985 – Denise McCluggage
1986 – Ted West
1987 – Detroit News team:
James Higgins, Jon Pepper,
Bruce Alpert, and Brian Gurley
1988 – Ted West
1989 – Henry Manney III
1990 – Bruce McCall
1991 – Charles Fox
1992 – Forbes Aird
1993 – Kathleen Hamilton
1994 – John Lamm
1995 – John Matras
1996 – Bruce McCall
1997 – Sam Moses
1998 – Scott Oldham
1999 – Dan Neil
2000 – Ro McGonegal
2001 – David Kiley
2002 – John Bums
2003 – Tony Swan
2004 – Kevin Clemmens
2005 – Jeff McGregor
2006 – Jean Jennings
2007 – John Phillips
2008 – Peter Egan
2009 – No award given.
2010 – No award given.
2011 – A.J. Baime
2012 – Bill Vlasic
2013 – Lawrence Ulrich
2014 – Ken Gross and Peter Harholdt
2015 – A.J. Baime