PSWA Dinner

They were the team of the year for 2007 and 2008, and when the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association gathers for its 106th annual Awards Dinner, the National league champion Phillies will be recognized as Team of the Year for 2009. Tickets to the PSWA dinner on Feb. 1 are available to the public. Click here to order tickets. The season had a different look than in the two previous years when the Phillies chased down the Mets in September. In 2009, ... Read More

Take a visit to Arlington, Texas, and Rangers Ballpark. A reporter from Channel 5, NBC's local affiliate in the Lone Star State, visits the park, and tries his hand at shagging some BP home runs on Greens Hill in centerfield. The only rule: You gotta wait until the ball hits the turf! Kind of makes me want to take in some batting practice at the Bank. Read More

Sports comic Joe Conklin has been a fixture on the dais of the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association's annual Awards Dinner for many years. When Conklin performs at the PSWA awards dinner, he's sure to leave the crowd and our honored guests - most of them, anyway - in stitches. His spot-on impersonations of local sports figures has made Conklin an all-star in his own right. If the Philly sports writers can't get Eagles coach Andy Reid to come to our dinner, Conklin's impression of Big ... Read More

After trading up from pick No. 21 to 19, the Eagles had a shot at tightend Brandon Pettigrew, but instead, the Birds went for highly touted receiver Jeremy Maclin, out of Missouri. Maclin is a play-maker who can also return kicks with flair. He could become an instant favorite with Eagles fans. If you want to learn more about Jeremy Maclin, take some time and enjoy these videos. The first video below demonstrates Maclin's big-play capability as he returns a kick 99 yards for a TD ... Read More

Harry Kalas was awarded the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association's Living Legend award at the 104th annual awards dinner on Jan. 28, 2008. The following article, written by Phillies broadcaster Tom McCarthy, was printed in the PSWA program book for the 104th dinner. By Tom McCarthy / Phillies Announcer / It is amazing when you think about it, these gifts that we are given. When they arrive -- and in this case the year was 1971 when one of Philadelphia’s greatest ... Read More

Reprinted from www.baseballhalloffame.org / Harry Kalas, longtime announcer for the Philadelphia Phillies, was the 2002 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award. A native of Naperville, Ill., Kalas graduated from the University of Iowa in 1959 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech, Radio, and Television. The affable broadcaster was drafted into the military on graduation day and spent the following two years in Hawaii with the U.S. Army. In 1961, he served as sports director of radio station KGU and also ... Read More

Iconic Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas, who came to Philadelphia when Veterans Stadium was first opened back in 1971, died today, Monday, April 13, 2009. He was 73. Kalas collapsed in the broadcast booth, three hours before the start of the Phillies' game against the Nationals in Washington, D.C. He was rushed by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was declared dead. An emotional David Montgomery, Phillies' president, said, "We lost our voice today." In 2002, Harry Kalas received the Ford C. Fricke Award from the ... Read More

by Bernard Fernandez / Philadelphia Daily News / There was a time, not so very long ago, when Nicole Hester took some things for granted. Like being able to walk up a flight of stairs without becoming exhausted. Like the hair on her head. Like basketball, the sport she has loved to play since she was a child. And, maybe most of all, life itself. When you are a young, vibrant woman with so much to look forward to, being told you have cancer can be a ... Read More

No. 105 is now in the books. We had a sell-out with close to 1,000 people in the room on Monday night, Jan. 26. The program had many highlights: My personal favorites were Darryl Dawkins, and of course, it was great re-living the World Series with Charlie Manuel and Brad Lidge at the podium. My family hasn't stopped talking about Joe Conklin ... What will you remember? What would you change? Share your thoughts with us by commenting, below. Thanks, Robbie Kenney PSWA ticket chairman Read More

The Philadelphia Sports Writers Association's 105th annual Awards Dinner has sold out. Despite the economic crunch on the region, Philadelphia's sports fans once again have demonstrated the love and admiration they have for their professional and college athletes. The PSWA officers, board and members thank everyone who purchased a ticket for this year's event, and we look forward to seeing you at the banquet. We experienced an unprecedented sales volume the last few days leading up to the dinner, forcing us to halt sales and ... Read More