The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association began as the North Carolina Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association in 1953. It was the brainchild of local restaurant owner and boxing promoter Pete DiMizio and a small group of interested Salisburians who wanted to honor the men and women who tell the stories of our country’s sporting events. One year after DiMizio’s death in 1958, local physician Ed McKenzie led the group to go national, and NSSA was born. In 1962, the NSSA Hall of Fame was established, with Grantland Rice the first inductee.
Fast-forward to 2012. The Hall of Fame is now 50 years old, and NSSA is hosting its 53rd Annual Awards Weekend in Salisbury, June 9-11. In addition to enshrining NBC (and MLB Network) sportscaster Bob Costas and author/journalist John Feinstein in the Hall of Fame, NSSA will honor National Sportscaster of the Year Dan Shulman of ESPN, National Sportswriter of the Year Joe Posnanski of “Sports Illustrated” and 103 state sportscasters and sportswriters of the year from 49 states and the District of Columbia.
The highlight of the Awards Weekend is the Awards Banquet, to be held at Catawba College’s Goodman Gym on Monday night, June 11.
After a welcome reception and dinner, NSSA will present “Coaches and the Media,” a panel discussion exploring the relationship between media and coaches.
On Sunday, June 10th, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association sponsors a brunch and NATA members present sports medicine-related seminars. NATA’s relationship with NSSA is a long one, and speaks to the outreach NATA shows to members of the media.
There will be a book signingfeaturing NSSA member authors at the Literary Bookpost from 2-4 p.m.Sunday, June 10. The following books will be available:
“How Sweet It Is!: From the Cotton Mill to the Crow’s Nest” by Bob Harris, Duke University radio play-by-play announcer for football and basketball
“Argyle Armada: Behind the Scenes of the Pro Cycling Life” by Mark Johnson
“Born Ready: The Mixed Legacy of Len Bias” by Dave Ungrady
“A Storm Came Up” by Doug Segrest, 2011 NSSA Alabama Sportswriter of the Year.
“November Ever After” by Craig Greenlee of Winston-Salem. Greenlee was a member of the Marshall University football team, before and after the plane crash that killed his former teammates.
In conjunction with the book signing, Jostens will display the 28 rings they have manufactured for National Football League Super Bowl champions.
Sunday will also feature barbecue dinner and dance at Salisbury’s historic train depot.
Monday will feature golf, tennis and tours of historic Salisbury. Monday evening is the 53rd annual NSSA Awards Banquet at Catawba College’s Goodman Gymnasium. In addition to the Hall of Fame inductees, the state and national award winners, NSSA also presents the Big House Gaines Awards to the minority college basketball coaches of the year (Division One and Division Two), and the Jim Nantz Award, given by the Sportscasters Talent Agency of America (STAA) to the college sportscaster of the year.
Awards Weekend hosts ($150 all inclusive) attend all the seminars, breakfasts, lunches and dinners as well as play golf and Awards banquet for one low fee. If you wish, you can play golf at the Crescent with our winners ($100) or attend the Awards banquet ($125). All registration fees must be received by May 10. For more information on NSSA and its events, go to www.nssafame.com, or call 704-633-4275.