ASWA Announces Finalists for 2022 Hall of Fame Voting
The Alabama Sports Writers Association proudly makes two announcements in regards to its upcoming 50th Anniversary celebration on June 12 in Birmingham:
1) The three finalists for Hall of Fame consideration are, in alphabetical order, Cecil Hurt, Mark McCarter and Kevin Scarbinsky.
2) There will be no Hall of Honor induction this year as no one made it through the nomination/finalists selection process.
TO VOTE
Active members may vote for one, two or three of the following and email their ballot to jjohnson@dothaneagle.com by 11:59 p.m., Jan. 17.
To be elected, a finalist must receive more than 65 percent of the votes cast. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, no more than two people shall be inducted during a given year.
NOTE: NOT VOTING FOR SOMEONE IS THE EQUIVALENT OF A NO VOTE.
_______ Cecil Hurt
_______ Mark McCarter
_______ Kevin Scarbinsky
CECIL HURT: Worked for the Tuscaloosa News since 1980, first as a correspondent and, since September 1982, in a full-time capacity. He has served as the beat reporter covering University of Alabama football, baseball and basketball and, since 1989, as the Sports Editor/Columnist. He has won over 100 professional writing awards, including two New York Times Chairman’s Awards, and was a part of the Tuscaloosa News’ team that won a Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of the 2011 tornado and its aftermath. He was honored last year with the Mel Allen Award from the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. Passed away in November at the age of 62.
MARK McCARTER: This year's recipient of the Mel Allen Media Award from the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, and will be recognized at the 54th Annual Induction Banquet and Ceremony on May 7. Served as sports editor at The Anniston Star (1989-92) after a 17-year stint at The Chattanooga News-Free Press. After five years in public relations, including two as PR rep for the Pennzoil NASCAR team and working with Atlanta’s 1992 Super Bowl effort, he returned to newspapers as sports columnist for The Huntsville Times in 1998, where he was four times named Alabama Sports Writer of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. He was with The Times, and its AL.com affiliate, until August 2015. He’s been elected to the Sports Halls of Fame in his native Chattanooga and in Huntsville and has won both the Herby Kirby Award and Bill Shelton Award, presented by the Alabama Sports Writers Association. He’s a three-time top five for Best Sports Columnist by the Associated Press Sports Editors, winning the award in 1991. He is an ASWA executive committee member and a past ASWA president.
KEVIN SCARBINSKY: Scarbinsky worked at The Birmingham News for 33 years, ending his tenure in February 2018. He worked as a sports copy editor, Auburn beat writer, general assignment reporter and eventually columnist for The News. In 2012, when Alabama Media Group was formed, he became the lead sports columnist for the state’s three largest newspapers – The Birmingham News, The Huntsville Times and the Press-Register in Mobile. He won dozens of writing awards, including the ASWA’s Herby Kirby Award for story of the year three times, during his long career. But more importantly, Kevin became Alabama’s sports voice. Kevin chronicled the biggest and most memorable events on Alabama’s sports landscape, from obtaining Bo Jackson’s X-rays to breaking the story that Alabama had plans to pursue Nick Saban to replace Mike Shula as head coach to uncovering the back-room deals that led UAB to briefly abolish its football program.
The ASWA has had just one person inducted since 2013, Tommy Hicks in 2018.
To join the ASWA Annual dues: $30 for active members, $25 for anyone serving in the mentor program (and you have to be an active member to vote).Alumni dues: $15 for those who are no longer active in the profession.
Alabama Sports Writers Association (ASWA)Jacksonville State Sports Information700 Pelham Road NorthJacksonville, AL 36265 Attn: Greg Seitz.
Annual conventionThe convention and annual awards banquet are traditionally held the Sunday before Father's Day in June. The 2022 celebration is scheduled for June 12 in Birmingham. Cost to attend is $25.
