Bud Montet

Sport: Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism

Induction Year: 1982

University: LSU

Montet began his sterling journalistic career with the Baton Rouge Morning Advocate in August of 1941, although in December of that year he was named sports editor of the city’s afternoon newspaper, the State-Times. He became sports editor of the Advocate in February, 1949, and remained in the position until his retirement in November of 1979 and his Advocate sports section was widely praised throughout the state. His popular column, Random Shots, began in 1944 and appeared six times a week until his retirement. He continued a weekly column for a number of years after that.
Montet covered the careers of many legendary LSU athletes such as football stars Charles Alexander, Billy Cannon, Tommy Casanova, Bert Jones, Jerry Stovall, Jimmy Taylor, Y.A. Tittle, Roy “Moonie” Winston and Steve Van Buren, basketball greats Bob Pettit and Pistol Pete Maravich and baseball stars Joe Bill Adcock, Alvin Dark and Mike Miley.
Montet was also instrumental in the formation of the Louisiana Sports Writers Association, helping found the organization in the early 1950s and served as the association’s first president. When the LSWA began the Distinguished Service Award for journalism in 1982, four were named first-year recipients: Montet, Bill Keefe of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Paul Martin of the Monroe News-Star and Truman Stacy of the Lake Charles American Press. He also assisted in founding the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
Baseball was always close to Montet’s heart. He helped organize Baton Rouge’s American Legion baseball program, was the first president of the Evangeline League Sportswriters Association and played a role in the Baton Rouge Kids Baseball Clinic that attracted a number of the game’s biggest stars to the city. The clinic began in the early 1950s and is still held today.
A few years after he retired, Montet was honored by the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame for his contributions to sports in Louisiana. (Written By: B. Muir)