Hawthorn Football Club’s best and fairest award was first introduced in 1925, the year Hawthorn joined the VFL.
The winner was decided by player votes until 1932 when the Hawthorn Committee took over this role. The coaching staff now awards the votes.
The Fred Phillips Honour Board was donated to the Club by F Craig Esq. in memory of Fred Phillips who was appointed coach in 1933 who unfortunately passed away before the start of the season. The Honour Board was to officially record the Hawthorn Best and Fairest winners, which were listed from 1933 on.
Club records indicate that the award was originally called the Best All Rounder, changing to Best and Fairest in 1926. It reverted back to its original name in 1928 and from 1929 it was known as the Best and Fairest award.
In 1985 it was renamed the Club Champion and then changed to the Peter Crimmins Medal in 2004, as a tribute to Peter Crimmins who is considered to be the spirit of Hawthorn. The Match Committee now awards the votes.
Previous winners
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2014 | Jordan Lewis |
| 2013 | Josh Gibson |
| 2012 | Sam Mitchell |
| 2011 | Sam Mitchell |
| 2010 | Luke Hodge |
| 2009 | Sam Mitchell |
| 2008 | Lance Franklin |
| 2007 | Brad Sewell |
| 2006 | Sam Mitchell |
| 2005 | Luke Hodge |
| 2004 | Peter Everitt |
| 2003 | Shane Crawford |
| 2002 | Shane Crawford |
| 2001 | Joel Smith |
| 2000 | Daniel Chick, Nick Holland |
| 1999 | Shane Crawford |
| 1998 | Shane Crawford |
| 1997 | Paul Salmon |
| 1996 | Paul Salmon |
| 1995 | Darren Jarman |
| 1994 | John Platten |
| 1993 | Jason Dunstall |
| 1992 | Jason Dunstall |
| 1991 | Ben Allen |
| 1990 | Andy Collins |
| 1989 | Jason Dunstall |
| 1988 | Jason Dunstall |
| 1987 | John Platten |
| 1986 | Gary Ayres |
| 1985 | Dermott Brereton |
| 1984 | Russell Greene |
| 1983 | Terry Wallace |
| 1982 | Leigh Matthews |
| 1981 | Terry Wallace |
| 1980 | Leigh Matthews |
| 1979 | Kelvin Moore |
| 1978 | Leigh Matthews, Peter Knights |
| 1977 | Leigh Matthews |
| 1976 | Leigh Matthews |
| 1975 | Peter Knights |
| 1974 | Leigh Matthews |
| 1973 | Don Scott |
| 1972 | Leigh Matthews |
| 1971 | Leigh Matthews |
| 1970 | Peter Hudson |
| 1969 | Robert Keddie |
| 1968 | Peter Hudson |
| 1967 | Robert Keddie |
| 1966 | Ray Wilson |
| 1965 | David Parkin |
| 1964 | Ian Law |
| 1963 | Ian Law |
| 1962 | Graham Arthur |
| 1961 | Ian Law |
| 1960 | Brendan Edwards |
| 1959 | Allan Woodley |
| 1958 | Graham Arthur |
| 1957 | Alf Hughes |
| 1956 | Roy Simmonds |
| 1955 | Graham Arthur |
| 1954 | John Kennedy |
| 1953 | Ted Fletcher |
| 1952 | John Kennedy |
| 1951 | John Kennedy |
| 1950 | John Kennedy |
| 1949 | Col Austen |
| 1948 | Kevin Curran |
| 1947 | Wally Culpitt |
| 1946 | Alec Albiston |
| 1945 | Jim Bohan |
| 1944 | Jack Blackman |
| 1943 | Jim Bohan |
| 1942 | Jack Barker |
| 1941 | Alec Albiston |
| 1940 | Andy Angwin |
| 1939 | Bert Mills |
| 1938 | Stan Spinks |
| 1937 | Leo Murphy |
| 1936 | Leo Murphy |
| 1935 | Bert Mills |
| 1934 | Ernie Loveless |
| 1933 | Bert Mills |
| 1932 | Stan Spinks |
| 1931 | Unknown |
| 1930 | John Sharpley |
| 1929 | Ernest Utting |
| 1928 | Miles Sellers |
| 1927 | Ernest Utting |
| 1926 | Unknown |
| 1925 | Fred Finch |
