Thursday, July 11, 2002
Woods wins three ESPYs
Bonds, Venus Williams take two
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Tiger Woods dominated the 10th annual ESPY Awards on Wednesday night, winning three trophies and giving him a career-best total of 14.
Woods won male athlete of the year and pro golfer of the year for the third consecutive time each, and record-breaking performance of the year for winning four majors in a row.
Woods didn't attend the show hosted by actor Samuel L. Jackson at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre. He is in Europe for the upcoming British Open.
Venus Williams, who lost to her younger sister Serena in last week's Wimbledon final, won trophies for female athlete of the year and female tennis player, a category in which she beat out her sister and Jennifer Capriati.
Serena Williams accepted Venus' female athlete trophy, saying her sister couldn't attend because of an unspecified prior obligation.
“I talked to her on the phone and she said she wanted this award to go to the rest of our family for all the support they provide,” Serena said.
The other double winner was San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds, who won major league baseball player of the year and best moment for breaking Mark McGwire's season home run record last year.
Capriati was selected comeback athlete over Michael Jordan and three NHL players. She won last year's Australian and French opens.
“I actually beat Michael Jordan in something?” she said onstage.
The Los Angeles Lakers, who won consecutive NBA titles since the last ESPYs were given out in February 2001, were chosen best team. Phil Jackson of the Lakers won for coaching and Shaquille O'Neal earned his second consecutive ESPY as NBA player, beating out Los Angeles teammate Kobe Bryant.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady won breakthrough athlete, while Marshall Faulk of the St. Louis Rams earned his second consecutive NFL player award.
Game 7 of the World Series between the New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks was selected best game.
“I'm glad the game didn't end in a tie,” said Arizona pitcher Curt Schilling, referring to Tuesday's All-Star game that ended in a tie when both sides ran out of pitchers.
The best play winner was Derek Jeter's shovel throw on an errant relay in Game 3 of last year's American League divisional series.
Marion Jones extended her domination of the female track and field category, winning her fifth straight. Her seven overall ESPY trophies are the most by a female.
Maurice Greene won male track and field athlete for the third time in four years.
Wrestler Cael Sanderson of Iowa State, the first four-time undefeated NCAA champion, beat out three basketball players and a football player to win male college athlete, and Connecticut basketball star Sue Bird won female college athlete.
Figure skater Sarah Hughes, whose gold medal provided a stunning upset at the Salt Lake Olympics, won for U.S. Olympian.
Four awards were added this year — disabled athlete, outdoors sports athlete and male and female soccer players.
The Arthur Ashe Courage Award was shared by Todd Beamer, Mark Bingham, Tom Burnett and Jeremy Glick, four passengers on United Flight 93 who were killed Sept. 11 when the plane crashed into a Pennsylvania field after being taken over by terrorists.
Three of the men's widows and Bingham's mother received a prolonged standing ovation when they took the stage. Wednesday would have been Ashe's 59th birthday. He died in 1993.
Carlos Santana opened the show. Snoop Dogg and Bootsy Collins closed the show with a funky jam that Jackson joined in.
Because the show moved to July from February, nominees were considered from a time period of more than a year and in some sports, more than one season.
The winners were chosen by a 151-member panel comprised of Hall of Fame athletes and coaches, and print and broadcast journalists.
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Woods wins three ESPYs 
