Alabama Sports Writers Association Honors

The ASWA's highest awards include the Hall of Fame, Hall of Honor, Herby Kirby Award, the Bill Shelton Award and the Presidents' Award

Alabama Sports Writers Association logo /

Alabama Sports Writers Association honors numerous individuals and accomplishments on both an annual and career basis, as determined by its membership.

Topping that list the Hall of Fame, which celebrates and recognizes those who have excelled in the profession throughout the years, and is the organization's highest honor.  A nominee must have been a full-time sports writer in the state of Alabama for at least 10 years. Full-time sports writers will include those who worked or have worked at a daily newspaper, a weekly newspaper, a wire service, an Internet service, a specialty sports publication or a magazine published in the state of Alabama.

The Association also established a Hall of Honor to recognize those individuals whose service has been instrumental to the growth and success of the ASWA, but who do not meet the criteria for Hall of Fame consideration.

The ASWA's biggest annual honors include the Herby Kirby Award for story of the year, and the Bill Shelton Award, which is a community service honor given to the top journalist in the state who excels in contributions to making the community better through journalism. Similarly, the Presidents' Award was created in 2021 to recognize someone exemplary outside of the ASWA membership, who is often outside of the spotlight. 

To mark the golden anniversary of the ASWA in 2022, the organization recognized the 50 Legends of Alabama sports writing.

ASWA Awards

1. ASWA Hall of Fame
2. ASWA Hall of Honor
3. Herby Kirby Award (Story of the Year)
4. Bill Shelton Award
5. The 50 Legends of the ASWA
6. Presidents' Award
7. ASWA Presidents

ASWA Hall of Fame

1983: Benny Marshall (Birmingham News), Zipp Newman (Birmingham News), Bob Phillips (Birmingham Age-Herald and Post-Herald)
1986: Sam Adams (Montgomery Advertiser-Alabama Journal)
1989: Alf Van Hoose (Birmingham News), Naylor Stone (Birmingham Post-Herald)
1992: Ronald Weathers (Birmingham News)
1993: Bill Lumpkin (Birmingham Post-Herald)
1997: Bill Shelton (Cullman Times), Jimmy Smothers (Gadsden Times)
2000: Jimmy Bryan (Birmingham News), Bill Easterling (Huntsville Times)
2001: Clyde Bolton (Birmingham News)
2002: Jerry Bryan (Birmingham News)
2003: John Pruett (Huntsville Times)
2006: Wayne Martin (Birmingham News)
2008: Charles Hollis (Birmingham News)
2012: Kirk McNair (Bama Magazine)
2013: Ron Ingram (Birmingham News)
2018: Tommy Hicks (Mobile Press-Register)
2022: Cecil Hurt (Tuscaloosa News), Mark McCarter (Huntsville Times)

ASWA Hall of Honor

2007: David Housel (Auburn University), Don Naman (Talladega Speedway), Charles Thornton (University of Alabama)
2009: Larry White (University of Alabama)
2018: Greg Seitz (Jacksonville State)
2021: Ivan Maisel 
2022: Vic Knight
2023: Joshua Underwood (Jacksonville State) 
2024: Kent Partridge (West Alabama)

Herby Kirby Award (Story of the Year)

1974 Wayne Hester, Anniston Star
1975 Paul Cox, Opelika-Auburn News
1976 Mike McKenzie, Tuscaloosa News
1977 Al Browning, Tuscaloosa News
1978 John Pruett, Huntsville Times
1979 Al Browning, Tuscaloosa News
1980 Bill Lumpkin, Birmingham Post-Herald
1981 Bill Lumpkin, Paul Finebaum, Rubin Grant, Birmingham Post-Herald
1982 Paul Finebaum, Birmingham Post-Herald
1983 Wayne Martin, Birmingham News
1984 Chuck Finder, Birmingham News
1985 Bob Mayes, Huntsville Times
1986 John Pruett, Huntsville Times
1987 Ron Ingram, Birmingham News
1988 Kevin Scarbinsky, Birmingham News
1989 Wayne Martin, Birmingham News
1990 Ray Melick, Richard Scott, Birmingham Post-Herald
1991 Bill Lumpkin, Birmingham Post-Herald
1992 Mike Marshall, Huntsville Times
1993 Mike Marshall, Huntsville Times
1994 Mike Marshall, Huntsville Times
1995 Phillip Marshall, Huntsville Times
1996 Tommy Hicks, Mobile Register
1997 Richard Scott, Birmingham Post-Herald
1998 Ted Miller, Mobile Register
1999 Tommy Hicks, Mobile Register
2000 Mike Bolton, Doug Segrest, Bob Carlton, Birmingham News
2001 Jimmy Creed, Anniston News
2002 Mike Bolton, Doug Segrest, Bob Carlton, Birmingham News
2003 Jimmy Creed, Anniston Star
2004 Phillip Marshall, Huntsville Timess
2005 Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times
2006 Christopher Walsh, Tuscaloosa News
2007 Jon Solomon, Erin Stock, Birmingham News
2008 Kevin Scarbinsky, Birmingham News
2009 Don Kausler Jr., Ray Mellick, Kevin Scarbinsky, Birmingham News
2010 Jon Solomon, Birmingham News
2011 Jon Solomon, Birmingham News
2012 Alex Scarborough, Tuscaloosa News
2013 Ryan Wood, Opelika-Auburn News
2014 Christopher Walsh, BamaOnline
2015 Shannon Fagan, Cherokee County Herald
2016 Gregg Dewalt, Florence Times-Daily
2017 Josh Bean, AL.com
2018 Creg Stephenson, AL.com
2019 Stacy Long, Montgomery Advertiser
2020 Christopher Walsh, BamaCentral
2021 Aaron Suttles, The Athletic
2022 David Glovach, Florence TimesDaily
2023 Creg Stephenson, AL.com
2024 Michael Casagrande, AL.com

Bill Shelton Award

2000 Jimmy Smothers
2001 John Pruett
2002 Al Browning
2003 Ross Wood
2004 Mark McCarter
2005 Jon Johnson
2006 Ron Ingram
2007 Mark Edwards
2008 Lew Gilliand
2009 Tommy Deas
2010 Steve Irvine
2011 Mike Szvetitz
2012 Kim Shugart
2013 Andrew Carroll
2014 Shannon Fagan
2015 Greg Dewalt
2016 John Zenor
2017 Ben Thomas
2018 Solomon Crenshaw
2019 Jeff McIntyre
2020 Tommy Hicks
2022 Charles Hollis
2023 Creg Stephenson
2024 Christopher Walsh

The 50 Legends of the ASWA

In Alphabetical Order; Selected 2022
1. Sam Adams
2. Tom Arenberg
3. Clyde Bolton
4. Mike Bolton
5. Al Browning
6. Jerry Bryan
7. Jimmy Bryan
8. Al Burleson
9. Paul Cox
10. Gregg DeWalt
11. Bill Easterling
12. Paul Finebaum
13. Charles Goldberg
14. Rubin Grant
15. Hoyt Harwell
16. Wayne Hester
17. Tommy Hicks
18. Charles Hollis
19. Cecil Hurt
20. Ron Ingram
21. Jon Johnson
22. Don Kausler Jr.
23. Randy Kennedy
24. Charles Land
25. Stacy Long
26. Bill Lumpkin
27. Kathy Lumpkin
28. Wayne Martin
29. Benny Marshall
30. Phillip Marshall
31. Kirk McNair
32. Mark McCarter
33. Ray Melick
34. Max Moseley
35. Zipp Newman
36. Bob Phllips
37. John Pruett
38. Kevin Scarbinsky
39. Doug Segrest
40. George Smith
41. Bill Shelton
42. Jimmy Smothers
43. Jon Solomon
44. Creg Stephenson
45. Naylor Stone
46. Ben Thomas
47. Alf Van Hoose
48. Christopher Walsh
49. Ronald Weathers
50. John Zenor

Presidents' Award

2021 Steve Savarese
2022 David Housel 
2023 John and Brodie Croyle

ASWA Presidents

1974-75 George Smith, Anniston Star
1975-76 Paul Cox, Opelika-Auburn News
1976-78 Bill Lumpkin, Birmingham Post-Herald
1978-80 John Pruett, Huntsville Times
1980-82 Wayne Hester, Anniston Times
1982-84 Phillip Marshall, Montgomery Advertiser
1984-86 John Pruett, Huntsville Times
1986-88 Al Burleson, Huntsville Times
1988-92 Kirk McNair, Bama Magazine
1993-94 Charles Hollis, Birmingham News
1995-96 Ray Melick, Birmingham Post-Herald
1997-98 Doug Segrest, Birmingham News
1999-2000 Tommy Hicks, Mobile Register
2001-02 Phillip Tutor, Anniston Star
2003-04 Kevin Scarbinsky, Birmingham News
2005-06 Greg Seitz, Jacksonville State University
2007-08 Mark McCarter, Huntsville Times
2009-10 Ben Thomas, Mobile Press-Register
2011-12 Gregg Dewalt, Florence Times Daily
2013-14 Jon Johnson, Dothan Eagle
2015-16 Tommy Hicks, Mobile 
2017-18 John Zenor, Associated Press
2019-20 Creg Stephenson, AL.com
2021-22 Christopher Walsh, BamaCentral
2023-24 Stacy Long, Florence DailyTimes
2024- Tony Tsoukalas, Tide Illustrated

See Also: ASWA Athlete Awards and ASWA Bylaws and Writing Contest Rules