NSMA Elects Tirico, Shaughnessy, Jones, Smith to Hall of Fame; Eagle, Rosenthal Win National Awards
01.07.2025
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (January 7, 2025) – Sportscaster Mike Tirico of NBC and sports columnist Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe have been voted by their peers into the National Sports Media Association’s Hall of Fame, NSMA executive director Dave Goren announced. They’ll be joined by posthumous selections Charlie Jones and Wendell Smith. The four were elected by NSMA members during December’s final balloting.
Ian Eagle, of CBS, Westwood One, and TNT, was voted the 2024 National Sportscaster of the Year, while The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal was voted the 2024 National Sportswriter of the Year. It’s the second NSMA national award for each of them.
The NSMA will honor its award winners and Hall of Fame inductees during the organization’s 65th awards weekend and national convention, to be held this summer in North Carolina.
Tirico is the lead voice on NBC’s biggest sports events, including Sunday Night Football, the Olympics, the Kentucky Derby, and the U.S. Open and Open Championship golf majors. Prior to his arrival at NBC, Tirico spent 25 years at ESPN/ABC, where he served as a SportsCenter anchor and reporter, as well as play-by-play voice on a number of sports. The Syracuse University graduate began his television sports career at WTVH-TV in Syracuse, N.Y. He was voted the NSMA’s National Sportscaster of the Year in 2010.
Shaughnessy is a sports columnist and associate editor at the Boston Globe, where he has spent 47 years over two stints. The Groton, Mass. native graduated from Holy Cross in 1975, and worked part-time at the Globe from 1973-77, before spending four years each covering the Baltimore Orioles for the Baltimore Evening Sun and the Washington Star. He re-joined the Globe full-time in 1981 and has been a sports columnist since 1989. The author of 13 books, Shaughnessy is a 14-time Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year and 13 times has been voted one of America's top 10 sports columnists by the Associated Press Sports Editors. He was the 2016 recipient of the BBWAA Career Excellence Award for "meritorious contributions to baseball writing,'' presented at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Jones was best known for the nearly 40 years he spent as a network television football play-by-play announcer, starting in 1960 broadcasting American Football League games on ABC. He moved to NBC in 1965 and called both the AFL and NFL until 1997. He returned to call games on ABC from 1999-2001. The Fort Smith, Ark. native and University of Southern California graduate also earned his law degree from the University of Arkansas. He began his broadcasting career in local television in Arkansas. Jones died in 2008 at the age of 77.
Smith, a Detroit, Mich. native and West Virginia State College graduate began writing for the Pittsburgh Courier, then the largest national black newspaper in the country. A baseball player in his youth, he wrote his first story on baseball’s color barrier after interviewing more than 50 major league players, more than 75 percent of whom said they had no problem with blacks in the majors. Smith was the first to suggest Jackie Robinson’s name to Dodgers’ General Manager Branch Rickey and was hired by Rickey to travel with Robinson during the 1946 and 1947 seasons to provide support and counsel. In 1948, Smith moved to the Chicago Herald-American. He became the first black member of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America that same year. He traded newspapers for television, moving to Chicago’s WGN in 1964. When Robinson died in 1972, Smith wrote his obituary. It would be his last story. He died at the age of 58 one month later.
A five-time New York Sportscaster of the Year and 2022 National Sportscaster of the Year, Eagle is about to enter his 28th season at CBS. In 2023, he was named the lead play-by-play voice for the NCAA men’s basketball and called his first championship game for CBS last April. In addition, the Syracuse University graduate has called NFL games for CBS since 1998, and is the play-by-play voice of the network’s number two broadcast crew. Among his other duties, Eagle is in his 17th season calling NFL Thursday night games on Westwood One and is in his 30th season calling Brooklyn Nets’ games.
Rosenthal, senior baseball writer for The Athletic, is a University of Pennsylvania graduate who also serves as a field reporter for FOX Sports’ Major League Baseball coverage. He spent 12 years as a “baseball insider” for MLB Network, and while working for the Baltimore Sun from 1987-2000, he was voted NSMA’s Maryland Sportswriter of the Year five times. He was voted the NSMA's National Sportswriter of the Year in 2022.
Among the state winners, Don Fischer, the radio play-by-play voice of the Indiana University Hoosiers, was voted that state’s Sportscaster of the Year for the 28th time.
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About the National Sports Media Association
The National Sports Media Association, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, that seeks to develop educational opportunities for those who are interested in pursuing a career in sports media, through networking, interning, mentoring, and scholarship programs.
The NSMA also honors, preserves, and celebrates the diverse legacy of sports media in the United States.
Founded in 1959 as the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association in Salisbury, N.C., the NSSA added its Hall of Fame in 1962, with Grantland Rice as its first member. The organization rebranded to the National Sports Media Association in 2016 and moved to Winston-Salem, N.C. one year later.
For sponsorship and membership information, contact Dave Goren at dgoren@nationalsportsmedia.org.
See the complete list of award winners here (times won in parentheses):
HALL OF FAME SPORTSCASTERS
Mike Tirico, NBC
*Charlie Jones, NBC, ABC
HALL OF FAME SPORTSWRITERS
Dan Shaughnessy, Boston Globe, Washington Star, Baltimore Sun
*Wendell Smith, Pittsburgh Courier, Chicago Herald American
NATIONAL SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Ian Eagle, CBS, Westwood One, Nets/YES Network, TNT (2)
NATIONAL SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic, FOX Sports (2)
ALABAMA SPORTSCASTERS OF THE YEAR (TIE)
David Crane, UAB Sports Net/Learfield, Birmingham (1)
Barry McKnight, Troy Radio Network, Troy (1)
ALABAMA SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Nick Kelly, AL.com, Tuscaloosa (1)
ARIZONA SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Jody Jackson, MLB/D’backs TV, Cardinals Radio, 98.7, Phoenix (2)
ARIZONA SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Craig Morgan, PHNX Sports, Phoenix (2)
ARKANSAS SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
David Bazzel, 103.7 the Buzz, KATV-TV, Little Rock (1)
ARKANSAS SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
*Bob Holt, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Fayetteville (5)
CALIFORNIA SPORTSCASTERS OF THE YEAR (TIE)
Duane Kuiper, Giants/NBCSports Bay Area/KNBR-680, San Francisco (2)
Ken Korach, A's Radio Network, Oakland (2)
CALIFORNIA SPORTSWRITERS OF THE YEAR (TIE)
Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco (15)
Marisa Ingemi, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco (1)
COLORADO SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Katy Winge, Altitude Sports Radio, Denver (1)
COLORADO SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Sean Keeler, Denver Post, Denver (1)
CONNECTICUT SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Joe Zone, WFSB-TV, Hartford (1)
CONNECTICUT SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, Hartford (1)
DELAWARE SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Sean Greene, WDEL Radio, Wilmington (2)
DELAWARE SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Brandon Holveck, The News Journal/Delaware Online, New Castle (1)
DC SPORTSCASTERS OF THE YEAR (TIE)
Joe Beninati, Capitals/Monumental Sports, Washington (4)
JP Finlay, NBC 4/106.7 The Fan, Washington (1)
DC SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Barry Svrluga, Washington Post (6)
FLORIDA SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Gene Deckerhoff, Buccaneers Radio Network, Tampa (17)
FLORIDA SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun Sentinel, Ft. Lauderdale (1)
GEORGIA SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Wiley Ballard, Braves/FanDuel Sports, Georgia Tech Radio, Atlanta (1)
GEORGIA SPORTSWRITERS OF THE YEAR (TIE)
Mark Bradley, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Atlanta (2)
Tori McElhaney, AltantaFalcons.com, Atlanta (1)
HAWAII SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Rob DeMello, KHON-TV, Honolulu (5)
HAWAII SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Billy Hull, Honolulu Star Advertiser, Honolulu (2)
IDAHO SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
John Mallory, KTIK Radio, Boise (1)
IDAHO SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
B.J. Rains, Bronco Nation News, Boise (5)
ILLINOIS SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
1Pat Hughes, Cubs Radio Network, Chicago (10)
ILLINOIS SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Mark Potash, Sun-Times, Chicago (1)
INDIANA SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Don Fischer, IU Sports Network/Learfield, Bloomington (28)
INDIANA SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Dana Benbow, Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis (1)
IOWA SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Jake Brend, WOI-TV, Des Moines (1)
IOWA SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Jeff Linder, Cedar Rapids Gazette, Cedar Rapids (1)
KANSAS SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Pat Strathman, ESPN Radio, Wichita (1)
KANSAS SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Taylor Eldridge, Wichita Eagle, Wichita (1)
KENTUCKY SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Maggie Davis, WLEX-TV, Lexington (1)
KENTUCKY SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
John Clay, Lexington Herald Leader, Lexington (7)
LOUISIANA SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Joel Meyers, Pelicans/Gulf Coast Sports and Entertainment Network (1)
LOUISIANA SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Katherine Terrell, ESPN.com, New Orleans (1)
MAINE SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Emma Tiedemann, Portland Sea Dogs Radio, Portland (1)
MAINESPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Travis Lazarczyk, Portland Press Herald, Portland (3)
MARYLAND SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Gerry Sandusky, WBAL-TV/Ravens Radio Network, Baltimore (4)
MARYLAND SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Bill Wagner, Capital Gazette, Annapolis (1)
MASSACHUSETTS SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Jack Edwards, Bruins/NESN, Boston (1)
MASSACHUSETTS SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Adam Himmelsbach, Boston Globe, Boston (1)
MICHIGAN SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
2Jason Benetti, Tigers/FanDuel Sports, Detroit (1)
MICHIGAN SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Mick McCabe, Detroit Free Press, Detroit (3)
MINNESOTA SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Michael Grady, Timberwolves/FanDuel Sports, Minneapolis (1)
MINNESOTA SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Michael Russo, The Athletic, St. Paul (4)
MISSISSIPPI SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Neil Price, Mississippi State Radio Net/Learfield (1)
MISSISSIPPI SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Robbie Faulk, On3, Starkville Daily News, Starkville (1)
MISSOURI SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Chris Kerber, Blues Radio Network, St. Louis (1)
MISSOURI SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Rob Rains, STL Sports Page, St. Louis (1)
MONTANA SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Keaton Gillogly, Bobcat Radio Net/Learfield, Bozeman (1)
MONTANA SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Frank Gogola, 406mtsports.com/Missoulian, Missoula (1)
NEBRASKA SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
3Greg Sharpe, Husker Radio Net/Playfly, Lincoln (2)
NEBRASKA SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Mike Patterson, World-Herald, Omaha (1)
NEVADA SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Matt Neverett, LV Aviators, UNLV Radio Net/Learfield (1)
NEVADA SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Vinny Bonsignore, Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas (1)
NEW HAMPSHIRE SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Pete Webster, UNH Wildcat Radio Net/Learfield, Durham (1)
NEW HAMPSHIRE SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Dave Haley, NHSportspage.com (1)
NEW JERSEY SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Dave Popkin, Seton Hall Radio Net/Learfield, South Orange (1)
NEW JERSEY SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Jerry Carino, Asbury Park Press, Neptune (1)
NEW MEXICO SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Jared Chester KRQE TV, Albuquerque (1)
NEW MEXICO SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
James Barron, Santa Fe New Mexican, Santa Fe (1)
NEW YORK SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Gary Cohen, Mets/SNY, New York (3)
NEW YORK SPORTSWRITERS OF THE YEAR (TIE)
Larry Brooks, New York Post, New York (1)
Zack Rosenblatt, The Athletic, New York (1)
NORTH CAROLINA SPORTSCASTERS OF THE YEAR (TIE)
Anish Shroff, Panthers Radio Network, ESPN, Charlotte (1)
Tripp Tracy, Hurricanes/FanDuel Sports, Raleigh (1)
NORTH CAROLINA SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Luke DeCock, News & Observer, Raleigh (3)
NORTH DAKOTA SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Tim Hennessy, UND Sports Network, Grand Forks (2)
NORTH DAKOTA SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Mike McFeely, The Forum, Fargo (1)
OHIO SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Joe Danneman, WXIX-TV, Cincinnati (1)
OHIO SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Zack Meisel, The Athletic, Cleveland (2)
OKLAHOMA SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Matt Pinto, OKC Thunder Radio Network, Oklahoma City (1)
OKLAHOMA SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Ken MacLeod, Golf Oklahoma, Tulsa (1)
OREGON SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Nick Krupke, KPTV-TV, Portland (1)
OREGON SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Bill Oram, The Oregonian, Portland (1)
PENNSYLVANIA SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Merrill Reese, Eagles/94.1 WIP, Philadelphia (6)
PENNSYLVANIA SPORTSWRITERS OF THE YEAR (TIE)
Matt Breen, Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia (1)
Mike Sielski, Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia (2)
RHODE ISLAND SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Ian Steele, WLNE--TV, Providence (2)
RHODE ISLAND SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Kevin McNamara, KevinMcSports.com/WPRO, Providence (3)
SOUTH CAROLINA SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Marc Whiteman, WYFF-TV, Greenville (1)
SOUTH CAROLINA SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Chapel Fowler, The State, Columbia (1)
SOUTH DAKOTA SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Bryce Ladwig, KYNT Radio, Yankton (1)
SOUTH DAKOTA SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Ryan Deal, 605 Sports, Mitchell (5)
TENNESSEE SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Bob Kesling, Vol Radio Net/Learfield, Knoxville (5)
TENNESSEE SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Jim Wyatt, Tennessee Titans, Nashville (7)
TEXAS SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Roger Wallace, KXAN-TV, Longhorn Radio Network, Austin (1)
TEXAS SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Mike Finger, San Antonio Express-News, San Antonio (1)
UTAH SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Craig Bolerjack, Jazz TV Network , Salt Lake City (3)
UTAH SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Sarah Todd, Deseret News, Salt Lake City (2)
VERMONT SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Michael Dugan, WCAX-TV, Burlington (1)
VERMONT SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Alex Abrami, Burlington Free Press, Burlington (5)
VIRGINIA SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Jermaine Ferrell, WFXR-TV, Roanoke (1)
VIRGINIA SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
John O'Connor, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Richmond (1)
WASHINGTON SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Alyssa Charlston, KCPQ-TV, Seattle (1)
WASHINGTON SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Jon Manley, The News Tribune, Tacoma (1)
WEST VIRGINIA SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Fred Persinger, WV MetroNews, Charleston (1)
WEST VIRGINIA SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Gary Fauber, Register-Herald, Beckley (1)
WISCONSIN SPORTSCASTERS OF THE YEAR (TIE)
Lance Allan, CBS 58/WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee (3)
Sophia Minnaert, Brewers/FanDuel Sports, Milwaukee (2)
WISCONSIN SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Pete Dougherty, Green Bay Press Gazette, Green Bay (2)
WYOMING SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR
Dennis Switzer, KKTY Radio, Douglas (1)
WYOMING SPORTSWRITER OF THE YEAR
Jack Nowlin, Casper Star-Tribune, Casper (5)
* - deceased
1 - won 3 times in Wisconsin
2 - won 2 times in Illinois
3 - won 2 times in Kansas