Sheldon Mickles

Sport: Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism

Induction Year: 2021

University: LSU

A Gretna native and graduate of Archbishop Shaw High School and LSU, Mickles has spent 42-plus years covering a variety of south Louisiana sports for two Baton Rouge papers — the old afternoon State-Times from 1978-91 and The Advocate.

Mickles started covering high schools and LSU track, then moved on to Southern University football and basketball before settling in as the Saints beat writer for 30 seasons from 1984-2013. During his time on the Saints beat, he was in the press box for 540 preseason, regular season and postseason games — including the team’s run to the Super Bowl XLIV title — as well as 17 other Super Bowls. He’s also covered the LSU track teams for the past 42 seasons and currently is in his second stint as the LSU men’s basketball beat writer as well as being part of The Advocate’s football coverage team. He’s also covered LSU gymnastics, women’s basketball, baseball and softball events, and the New Orleans PGA Tour event for the past 31 years. The winner of numerous state, regional and national writing awards,

Mickles is a two-time LSWA Class I Columnist of the Year and was the Louisiana-Mississippi AP Managing Editors (APME) Columnist of the Year in 2012. The 1998 Mac Russo Award winner, he served as president of the LSWA (1988-90) following stints as secretary and vice president and has been a Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame committee member since 1983, serving as nominating chairman since 2009. His longtime involvement with, and stewardship of the LSWA writing contest, teaming with Glenn Quebedeaux, has been a bedrock for the organization. The 2019 recipient of the Track and Field Writers of America’s Cordner Nelson Memorial Award for lifetime achievement and writing excellence, he is a voter for the Heisman and Biletnikoff awards and also votes on the AP college basketball poll.