Pro Basketball Writers Association
Encyclopedia
The Pro Basketball Writers Association (PBWA) is a professional organization for sportswriters
who write about professional basketball
, including the National Basketball Association
(NBA).
, general managers
, and other executives.
On January 18, 1972, interested sportswriters gathered formally for the first time, to begin organizing what was to become the Pro Basketball Writers Association of America (PBWAA). The meeting occurred at the Century Plaza Hotel
, in Los Angeles, California, during the NBA All-Star Game weekend. The PBWAA organized formally one year later, on January 23, 1973, at a meeting in the O'Hare Hyatt Regency Hotel, in Chicago, Illinois.
Sports journalism
Sports journalism is a form of journalism that reports on sports topics and events.While the sports department within some newspapers has been mockingly called the toy department, because sports journalists do not concern themselves with the 'serious' topics covered by the news desk, sports...
who write about professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, including the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA).
History
The idea of a professional organization like the PBWA began to be discussed in the early 1970s. One of the rationales was to improve working conditions. For NBA beat writers, the league did not have a specific policy regarding access to locker rooms, team practices, players, coachesCoach (basketball)
Basketball coaching is the act of directing and strategizing the behaviour of a basketball team or individual basketball player. Basketball coaching typically encompasses the improvement of individual and team offensive and defensive skills, as well as overall physical conditioning.Coaching is...
, general managers
General manager (basketball)
In the National Basketball Association and Women's National Basketball Association, the general manager or GM of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the team during contract negotiations with players.The general manager is also normally...
, and other executives.
On January 18, 1972, interested sportswriters gathered formally for the first time, to begin organizing what was to become the Pro Basketball Writers Association of America (PBWAA). The meeting occurred at the Century Plaza Hotel
Century Plaza Hotel
The Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles is a landmark 19-story luxury hotel forming a sweeping crescent design fronting the spectacular fountains on Avenue of the Stars adjacent to the twin Century Plaza Towers and the CAA building.- History :...
, in Los Angeles, California, during the NBA All-Star Game weekend. The PBWAA organized formally one year later, on January 23, 1973, at a meeting in the O'Hare Hyatt Regency Hotel, in Chicago, Illinois.
Presidents
- See footnote
- 1972-74 – Joe Gilmartin, Phoenix GazettePhoenix GazetteThe Phoenix Gazette was a newspaper published in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. It was founded in 1881, and was known in its early years as the Phoenix Evening Gazette....
- 1974-76 – Don Fair, Seattle Post Intelligencer
- 1976-77 – George Cunningham, Atlanta Constitution
- 1977-80 – Steve Hersey, Washington StarWashington StarThe Washington Star, previously known as the Washington Star-News and the Washington Evening Star, was a daily afternoon newspaper published in Washington, D.C. between 1852 and 1981. For most of that time, it was the city's newspaper of record, and the longtime home to columnist Mary McGrory and...
- 1980-82 – George White, Houston ChronicleHouston ChronicleThe Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
- 1982-83 – Bob RyanBob RyanBob Ryan is an American sportswriter for The Boston Globe. He has been described as "the quintessential American sportswriter" and a basketball guru and is well known for his coverage of the sport including his famous stories covering the Boston Celtics in the 1970s. After graduating from Boston...
, Boston Globe - 1983-85 – Fran Blinebury, Houston ChronicleHouston ChronicleThe Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
- 1985-87 – Phil JasnerPhil JasnerPhil Jasner , was an award-winning sports journalist in Philadelphia.Phil Jasner joined the staff of the Philadelphia Daily News in 1972. Jasner covered the 76ers and the NBA on a full-time basis from 1981 up until his death...
, Philadelphia Daily News - 1987-88 – Don Greenberg, Orange County Register
- 1988-90 – Jan Hubbard, Dallas Morning News
- 1990-92 – Shaun Powell, Miami Herald
- 1992-94 – Fred Kerber, New York PostNew York PostThe New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
- 1994-96 – Mike KahnMike kahnMichael Alan Kahn was a sports journalist, best known for his contributions, via what is now CBS Sportsline, to the beginnings of internet sports journalism....
, Tacoma News-Tribune - 1996-97 – Mike Monroe, Denver Post
- 1997-99 – Dave D'Alessandro, Newark Star Ledger
- 1999-05 – Sam Smith, Chicago Tribune
- 2005-07 – Steve Ashburner, Minneapolis Star Tribune
- 2008 – Rick Bonnell, Charlotte Observer
See also
- United States Basketball Writers AssociationUnited States Basketball Writers AssociationThe United States Basketball Writers Association was founded in 1956 by Walter Byers and serves the interests of journalists who cover college basketball.-Scholarships:...
(college) - Baseball Writers Association of AmericaBaseball Writers Association of AmericaThe Baseball Writers' Association of America is a professional association for baseball journalists writing for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying Web sites. The BBWAA was founded on October 14, 1908, to improve working conditions for sportswriters in the early part of the 20th century...
(BBWAA) - National Collegiate Baseball Writers AssociationNational Collegiate Baseball Writers AssociationThe National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association is an association of baseball writers, broadcasters, and publicists in the United States...
- Pro Football Writers AssociationPro Football Writers AssociationTechnically known as the Pro Football Writers of America, this organization purports to be "The official voice of pro football writers, promoting and fighting for access to NFL personnel to best serve the public." Goals of the organization include improving access to practices and locker rooms,...
- Football Writers Association of AmericaFootball Writers Association of AmericaThe Football Writers Association of America is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA...
(college) - Professional Hockey Writers AssociationProfessional Hockey Writers' AssociationThe Professional Hockey Writers' Association is a North American professional association for ice hockey journalists writing for newspapers, magazines and websites...
- National Sportscasters and Sportswriters AssociationNational Sportscasters and Sportswriters AssociationThe National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, or NSSA, is an organization of sports media members in the United States. It constitutes the American chapter of the International Sports Press Association ....