Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism
The most prestigious honor offered to sports media personnel in Louisiana by their peers is the Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism.
The Louisiana Sports Writers Association presents the award each year during the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame ceremonies.
Recipients are chosen by the 30-member Hall of Fame selection committee each year after the annual winter meeting.
Nominees are drawn from the ranks of the LSWA based on their professional accomplishments and impact in local, state, regional and even national arenas. Candidates must be 60 years old, or have three decades of Journalism credentials, reflecting a lifetime of service in the profession.
Names of the Distinguished Service Award winners have been displayed in the Hall of Fame. There will be a “writer and broadcasters wing” of the Hall of Fame Museum, much as there is in the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown.
2010s
Norm Fletcher; Natchitoches Broadcast Legend
Ted Lewis; Times-Picayune, Baton Rouge AdvocateRon Brocato; States-Item, Times-Picayune, Clarion Herald
Larry Hymel; Southeastern La. University Sports InformationBill Bumgarner; States-Item, Times-Picayune
Butch Muir; Baton Rouge AdvocateBob Marshall; Times-Picayune
Joe Macaluso; Baton Rouge Advocate
Bobby Dower; Lake Charles American Press
Glenn Quebedeaux; The Daily Iberian/Baton Rouge AdvocateJim Hawthorne, LSU Sports Network Broadcast Legend
Bob Tompkins, Alexandria Town TalkJim Henderson, New Orleans Sportscaster, Saints Network Broadcast Legend
Dan McDonald, Media Relations and JournalistScooter Hobbs, Lake Charles American Press
Lyn Rollins, Louisiana Television Broadcast LegendDave Nitz, Louisiana Tech Broadcast Legend
Philip Timothy, Gannett Louisiana/Longtime Louisiana sportswriter2000s
Sam King, Baton Rouge Advocate/State-Times
Jerry Pierce, Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame/Northwestern State
Gerry Robichaux, The Shreveport TimesBud Johnson, SLU/LSU/Tulane
Louis Bonnette, McNeese State Sports Information
George Sweeney, New Orleans Times PicayuneBill Curl, Tulane/The Louisiana Superdome
Keith Prince, Louisiana Tech/Monroe News-Star
Buddy Diliberto, WWL-Radio, WDSU-TV
Jim Wynn; McNeese State, Abbeville Meridional, Alexandria Town Talk, LSWA President
Marty Mule’, New Orleans Times-PicayunePete Dosher; Louisiana Tech, Grambling
Arthur Schott; New Orleans Times-Picayune, States-Item, State sports historianEd McHale, Associated Press
R. L. Stockard; Southern, SWAC, New OrleansO. K. “Buddy” Davis; Ruston Daily Leader
Bob Griffin; Shreveport sportscaster and writer1990s
Collie Nicholson, Grambling State Sports Information
Hap Glaudi; WWL-Radio/TV, New Orleans ItemFred Digby; New Orleans Item, Sugar Bowl Classic
Bill McIntyre, The Shreveport TimesConnie Kaplan, The Kaplan Herald
Mike Cook, Baton Rouge AdvocateM. L. Lagarde, Tulane University Sports Information
Austin Wilson, Associated PressBob Anderson, Northeast Louisiana University Sports information
Bernell Ballard, Baton Rouge AdvocateJim McLain, The Shreveport Times
Jerry Byrd; Bossier Press-Tribune, Shreveport Journal
Joe Planas; The Catholic Commentator, Baton Rouge AdvocateRoger Brandt, Oplepusas Daily World
Hal Ledet, L’Observerteur
Bob Hendreson, University of Southwestern La. Sports Information
Al Nassif, Alexandria Town Talk1980s
Bill Keefe, New Orleans Time Picayune
Paul Martin, Monroe News-Star
Bud Montet, Baton Rouge Morning Advocate
Truman Stacy, Lake Charles American PressJack Fiser, The Shreveport Times
John Ferguson, LSU and New Orleans Saints radio
Dan Hardesty, Baton Rouge State Times
Paul Manasseh, LSU Sports Information
Ted Castillo, Baton Rouge Advocate
Bill Carter, Alexandria Daily Town Talk
Peter Finney, New Orleans Times-Picayune
Bob Roesler, New Orleans Times-Picayune
Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award
The Dave Dixon Award is presented annually by the LSWA’s 30-member Hall of Fame selection committee to an individual who has played a decisive role as a sports leader or administrator benefiting Louisiana and/or bringing credit to Louisiana on the national and international level.
It is named in honor of Hall of Famer Dave Dixon, the driving force behind bringing the NFL to Louisiana with the creation of the New Orleans Saints franchise.
Dixon, who passed away last fall, is also considered the “father” of the Louisiana Superdome, developing the concept for the innovative domed structure and pushing state officials for its construction in the late 1960s.
2010s
Gerald Boudreaux; NCAA Basketball Official, SEC Coordinator of Officials
Elmo Adolph; Boxing Official
Billy Montgomery; State LegislatorDr. L.J. Mayeux; Ducks Unlimited
Milton Retif; Sports Administrator
Tynes Hildebrand; Sports Administrator
Wright Waters; Sports AdministratorPaul Hoolahan; Sports Administrator
Dr. Julian Bailes, Sports Medical Research
Sue Donohoe, Sports Admnistrator
Steve Gleason, New Orleans Saints Legend
Marie Gagnard, Tennis Umpire
2000s
Randy Gregson; U.S. Tennis Association
Emmanuel “Boozy” Bourgeois, Jr.; Special Olympics Louisiana
Don Landry; Nicholls State, SLC
Doug Thornton; Louisiana SuperdomeDr. James Andrews; Sports Medicine
George Dement; Youth Sports Activists
Benny Turcan; Mr. Softball
