Boxingham Wins 2 Awards At The Alabama Sports Writers Association Banquet
Boxingham won two awards at the Alabama Sports Writers Association banquet, held on June 9 at Hotel Capstone in Tuscaloosa, AL.
Michael Gibbons & His Fascination With Forks won "Best Investigative Story" and Christian Thun: Traveling Man won runner up for "Best Wrestling and Boxing Feature."
Montgomery’s A. Stacy Long wins ASWA’s Herby Kirby Award
A. Stacy Long the Montgomery Advertiser received the Herby Kirby Award, the Alabama Sports Writer’s Association’s highest writing award at the association’s 48th annual convention Sunday in Tuscaloosa. The award was the first for the Advertiser and first for Long.
The Herby Kirby Award is given in memory of longtime Birmingham Post-Herald sports writer Herby Kirby, who died in the press box after covering Notre Dame's 24-23 national football championship win over Alabama in the 1973 Sugar Bowl.
Long won the Herby Kirby and in the category of Best Sports Story, Writing on a Deadline, Prep or Other Amateur for his story on Alex Wilcox, a Brantley native and Mississippi State softball player who died of ovarian cancer at age 18.
Jeff McIntyre of the Times Daily in Florence was posthumously presented with the Bill Shelton Award, the ASWA’s professional service award. McIntyre died June 2 after battling cancer.
Here are the other winners and runners-up for 2018:
Best Sports Story, Writing On A Deadline, Professional Or College Event
Runner Up: Christopher Walsh, SEC Country, Alabama’s stunning win overshadows historical significance of Nick Saban’s sixth title
Winner: Tom Green, AL.com, JaTarvious Whitlow scores decisive touchdown against Washington in memory of late grandmother
Best Sports Story, Writing On A Deadline, Prep Or Other Amateur
Runner Up: David Elwell, the Decatur Daily, Decatur vs. Austin football. The Black Bears opened their new stadium with a 60-45 win over Decatur in the highest scoring game ever in the River City Rivalry
Winner: Daniel Boyette, AL.com, Game story on Hazel Green winning the Class 6A girls basketball state title
Best Column, Four Columns Anytime Of The Year
Runner Up: Josh Bean, AL.com
--It’s a simple question: Did Arab purposefully lose the math?
--Dear Santa: All I want for Christmas is for Auburn to hire Rush Propst as its new offensive coordinator
--The value of a dynamic quarterback is as high as it’s ever been
--The AHSAA followed the letter of the law when imposing a season-long suspension for Miss Basketball
Winner: Christopher Walsh, Bama Central
--'This house represents, to me, a lot more than a gold trophy does’
--Alabama shouldn’t have a Heisman Trophy finalist, it should have two
--Jalen Hurts’ legacy goes way beyond saving Alabama’s season
--Why is Nick Saban going for his 7th national title being overlooked, ignored
Best Football Feature Without A Deadline
Runner Up: Tony Tsoukalas, BamaInsider.com, Crimson clad fans cheering hometown hero Ross Pierschbacher from Cedar Falls, Iowa, will suit up for his final Iron Bowl
Winner: Creg Stephenson, AL.com, Former Alabama quarterback Pat Trammell, 50 years after his death
Best Basketball Feature Without A Deadline
Runner Up: Al Blanton, Hall & Arena, The life of former Alabama basketball star Charles Cleveland
Winner: Christopher Walsh, SEC Country, Ashley Williams’ emotional Alabama journey coming to a close
Best Baseball Feature Without A Deadline
Runner Up: Tom Green, AL.com, Casey Mize’s road to potential No. 1 MLB Draft Pick was 18 years in the making
Winner: Ben Jones, The Tuscaloosa News, Alabama radio play-by-play man for basketball and baseball suffers a stroke and is overwhelmed by the support he receives
Best Softball Feature Without A Deadline
Runner Up: Christopher Walsh, SEC Country, From Cuba to Malaysia, Alabama softball’s Carrigan Fain out to have a ball
Winner: Gregg DeWalt, Times Daily, University of North Alabama softball player recovering from boating accident
Best Golf Story Without A Deadline
Runner Up: Gregg DeWalt, Times Daily, Conner Godsey, 1st year Web.com player
Winner: Joey Chandler, The Tuscaloosa News, A third-grade girl is teeing it up with the high school boys golf team at Tuscaloosa Academy
Best Wrestling and Boxing Feature Without A Deadline
Runner Up: Peter Alan Moss II, Boxingham, Christian Thun: Traveling Man
Winner: Daniel Boyette, AL.com, A look into the world of high school wrestlers strugging to make and cut weight
Best General Sports Feature Without A Deadline
Runner Up: Brandon Marcello, AuburnUndercover, Introducing readers to the first black athletics director in Auburn history, and a man not too familiar with the SEC
Winner: Christopher Walsh, SEC Country, Promises kept, Alabama swimmer Baily Scott set to close Crimson Tide career
Best Enterprise Story
Runner Up: Tom Green, AL.com, 20 years since the last Iron Bowl at Legion Field, the Alabama-Auburn rivalry has forever changed
Winner: Christopher Walsh, SEC Country, The Nick Saban 100: A 5-part examination of his growing coaching tree
Best Investigative Story
Winner: Peter Alan Moss II, Boxingham, Michael Gibbons and his fascination with forks
Breaking News Story
Runner Up: Brandon Marcello, Auburn Undercover, Gus Malzahn’s job was discussed behind the scenes for several weeks
Winner: Brandon Marcello, Auburn Undercover, Auburn athletics director Allen Greene reveals he is working to alleviate burden on Auburn’s football schedule that could move the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry out of the month of November
Best Column or a Feature, Non Daily
Runner Up: Roy Mitchell, Cherokee County Herald, Basic training part of Sand Rock’s offseason
Winner: Arthur L. Mack, Call News, Alabama legend Bennett keeps doing good things in Mobile
Best Game Story, Non Daily
Runner Up: Arthur L. Mack, Call News, St. Pauls’ girls win Class 5A track and field
Winner: Shannon Fagan, Cherokee County Herald, Emotional week culminates with shutout win
Best Headlines
Runner-up: Edwin Stanton, The Tuscaloosa News
--Hawaiian Punch
--Advantage Tuscaloosa
--Give ‘em Hale
--It runs in the family
Winner: Daniel Boyette, AL.com
--Lights, camera, touchdown
--Foray into 5A
--Yellow Jackets pull upset on Valentine’s Day
--1st love and a 2nd chance
Best Sports Layout (Four Sections from anytime in the Year)
Winner: The Tuscaloosa News
--Alabama football wins national championship against Georgia
--Alabama football rivalry with Tennessee taken to new height with viral video
--Alabama running back Damien Harris’ mother has always been a driving force in his life
--Feature on the SEC title game between Alabama and Georgia and how neither team views it as a rematch of the 2017 national title game
Best Supplement or Special Edition
Winner: The Tuscaloosa News, Coaches Paul “Bear” Bryant and Nick Saban and how they are forever linked with Alabama football
