Bobby Dower

Sport: Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism

Induction Year: 2015

University: LSUMcNeese

Dower was a writer and editor for the Lake Charles American Press for 43 years and was a defining figure in the Louisiana Sports Writers Association, including serving as president of the organization and on the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame selection committee, in five decades until his death in July 2014 at 62. Dower began his career as a freshman at McNeese State when he walked into the American Press sports department asking for a part-time job. At the age of 25, he was named sports editor in 1976, then in 1993 took over as the paper’s news editor, later moving to editor-in-chief and managing editor roles, along with serving as chairman of the newspaper’s editorial board. Best known for his personal and insightful coverage of McNeese athletics, Dower greatly expanded the American Press’ overall scope of coverage, adamant through his various positions that the paper could exceed the range of a typical small-town daily. He added new emphasis on local reporting on LSU and the New Orleans Saints while raising the bar on coverage of area high school and amateur sports. A winner of numerous LSWA and Associated Press awards for writing and editing, including the inaugural LSWA Columnist of the Year Award, Dower’s ability to hire and mentor talented sports staffers was remarkable, and resulted in the American Press collecting hundreds of honors for its sports coverage during his career.