Awards Luncheon Major Success

The 15th Annual Sports Media Canada Achievement Awards presentation luncheon is in the books. On October 13th about 250 representatives of sport and sports journalism assembled in the Canadian Room of the Royal York Hotel in Toronto to participate in the presentation of George Gross Awards for outstanding Canadian sports journalism.

Tom Anselmi and Bob Cole

Tom Anselmi COO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, a continuing major sponsor of Sports Media Canada’s work on behalf of sports journalism in this country, presented the first of the Awards to veteran hockey broadcaster Bob Cole. NHL TV executive John Shannon introduced The Hockey Night in Canada on CBC TV play by play man who received the 2010 Award in recognition of his outstanding sports journalism career.

Two stars of Toronto Star sports were recognized for their work in 2010. Randy Starkman was the recipient of the award for Outstanding Sportswriting and Rick Madonik took away the award for Outstanding Sports Photography.  The award for Outstanding Sports Broadcasting went to Brian Williams of CTV / TSN — his third of the Sports Media Canada Achievement Awards.

John Furlong, the key instigator and director of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics was named the Outstanding Canadian Sports Executive of the Year and charmed the gathering with his anecdotes from the Games and sincere national pride in their success. Furlong had been co-recipient (with the late Jack Poole) in 2003 in recognition of their efforts to win the bid to host the 2010 Winter Games.

The President’s Award for 2010 went to Dick Bradbeer a key participant in the staging of the Sports Media Canada Achievement Awards since their inception.

Posthumous Awards went to Terry Kielty, veteran Ottawa broadcaster and football executive, and Norm Marshall of Hamilton also an acclaimed football broadcaster.

Sports and Sports Journalism groups were well represented at individual and dedicated tables. The CFL, CBC, Hockey Hall of Fame, TSN, Tennis Canada, Sportsnet, Marketing Properties, Canadian Olympic Committee, the Blue Jays, IMG, Toronto Argonauts, Toronto Sun, the NHL and Major League Baseball along with many previous Sports Media Canada Award recipients made the pre-Luncheon reception and the two hour Luncheon a lively affair.