National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association

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The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, or NSSA, is an American organization of sports media members. It constitutes the American chapter of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS).

The purpose of this organization is to recognize the Sportscasters and Sportswriters of the United States for their leadership, devotion, contributions in developing character integrity, sportsmanship, and physical fitness among both the youth and the adults of this and other nations. Salisbury, North Carolina serves as the headquarters for the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, and it is responsible for the organizing and counting of all the ballots for the National, 50 States plus D.C., and the Hall of Fame winners. There are now 46 inductees in the Hall of Fame [1]. The Organization plans and funds the Annual Awards Program, and it will ultimately fund the NSSA Hall of Fame.

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[edit] History

The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association(NSSA) was formed in 1959 by a local restaurant owner, Pete DiMizio, to honor regional sportscasters and sportswriters whom he had met at the Greensboro Open Golf Tournament in Greensboro, North Carolina. At the untimely death of Pete DiMizio, Dr. Ed McKenzie took over the leadership role and guided it through the expansion to a national association. Its first Annual Awards Program was held in Salisbury, North Carolina on April 12, 1960. Lindsey Nelson was selected the National Sportscaster of the Year and Red Smith was voted the Sportswriter of the Year. In 1962 Grantland Rice was selected as the first Hall of Fame member. As Red Smith inducted Rice into the Hall of Fame, he said, "Who knows what will become of this Hall of Fame, it might never by heard from again, no matter, it cannot be improved for it is perfect tonight with only Granny enshrined." In April, 1990 the NSSA celebrated its Thirty-first Annual Awards Program with Chris Berman of ESPN being selected as Sportscaster of the Year and Peter Gammons receiving the honor as Sportswriter of the Year. The Hall of Fame inductees were Dave Anderson, Pulitzer Prize Winner from The New York Times, and Jack Buck, a renowned sportscaster from CBS.

[edit] Organization

The NSSA is unique in that it purports that it is the only national organization which brings together the two crafts of sportscasting and sportswriting. There are approximately 1,000 dues-paying members. The Sportscasters and Sportswriters Foundation Board is made up of individuals in Salisbury, North Carolina, as well as the current national board president, who feel that sports in the United States are important. The Sportscasters and Sportswriters themselves have a Board of Directors. In addition, The Hall of Fame, Inc. has been set up as the educational arm of the NSSA, and it has the highest tax exempt status granted by the Internal Revenue Service.


[edit] Paul "Bear" Bryant Award

The Paul "Bear" Bryant Award is an award that has been given annually since 1986 to NCAA college football's national coach of the year. The Award was named in honor of longtime Alabama coach Bear Bryant after he died of a heart attack in 1983. It is voted on by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, and proceeds from the awards ceremony benefit the American Heart Association. The College Football Coach of the Year Award began in 1957 and was renamed for Bryant in 1986. Bryant himself won the earlier award in 1961, 1971 and 1973.[1] According to the official website:[1]

The Paul "Bear" Bryant College Football Coaching Awards is an exclusive event that honors a college football coach whose great accomplishments, both on and off the field, are legendary. The award recognizes the masters of coaching and allows them to take their deserved place in history beside other legends like Bear Bryant.

[edit] Recent winners

[edit] External links