13th Annual Awards Luncheon – October 2008

By Don Goodwin

Sports Media Canada’s major event of the year – the annual Achievement Awards Presentation Luncheon was held in the Ballroom of the Royal York Hotel on Thursday, October 16th.
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The main themes of this 13th Annual Awards luncheon were a salute to Canada’s 2008 Olympic team with several team members present and a warm farewell to veteran sports journalist George Gross who was such a key factor in the establishment of Sports Media Canada and its growth and success.

In his honour and to underline his place in the annals of Canadian sports journalism the Awards presented at this and future Sports Media Canada Achievement Awards ceremonies will be known as George Gross Awards (already being called the Georgies).

The first recipients of this new family of Awards were Montreal Canadiens owner George Gillett, named Sports Executive of the Year; longtime Hockey Night in Canada commentator and author Brian McFarlane and Toronto Sun baseball columnist Bob Elliott recipients of Lifetime Achievement Awards; CBC’s Ron MacLean for Outstanding Sports Broadcasting; Dave Stubbs of the Montreal Gazette for Outstanding Sportswriting and the Toronto Star’s Lucas Oleniuk for Outstanding Sports Photography.

Also recognized during the Awards Luncheon was Ryerson journalism student Amit Shilton who received the Adidas Student Award and a $2000 bursary from Sports Media Canada to aid his finishing his studies and entry into the sports journalism field.

Sports Media Canada and the Achievement Awards process benefit from the support of Presenting Sponsor Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment and Major Sponsors Adidas, CBC, Canadian Olympic Committee, FIFA, Hockey Hall of Fame, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, Maple Leaf Baseball, NHL, Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission, Sportsnet, Tennis Canada, TSN, Toronto Sun, Via Rail.