ST. LOUIS -- Curt Schilling, who was 4-0 in the postseason in leading the Arizona Diamondbacks to the world championship, was named sportsman of the year by The Sporting News on Tuesday.

Schilling is featured on the cover of the Dec. 17 edition, which goes on sale Wednesday. He is the fifth pitcher to win the award since it began 33 years ago. Past winners who were pitchers included Denny McLain in 1968, Tom Seaver in 1969, Ron Guidry in 1978 and Nolan Ryan in 1990.

Schilling, 35, was 22-6 with a 2.98 ERA during the regular season. He was 2-0 with a 0.50 ERA in the NL Division Series against St. Louis, 1-0 with a 1.00 ERA in the NL Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves, and 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA in the World Series against the New York Yankees. The Diamondbacks won the World Series in seven games.

Other finalists were Shaquille O'Neal, Michael Strahan, Brett Favre, Kurt Warner, Ray Bourque, Jeff Gordon, Joe Paterno and Shane Battier.

`"We look for the combination of on- and off-the-field presence with this award," said John Rawlings, editor of the St. Louis-based Sporting News. "Curt was certainly a commanding presence in pressure games throughout this season, and his leadership among athletes was admirable throughout the tragic weeks following the attack on our nation."