SPRINGFIELD, MASS. ? Al McCoy, the longtime Phoenix Suns broadcaster, and former USA Today and New York Times newspaper reporter Malcolm Moran received the 2007 Curt Gowdy Media Award Thursday during the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Family Reunion Dinner in Springfield, Mass.
Named in honor of the late legendary sports broadcaster and former Basketball Hall of Fame President Curt Gowdy, the prestigious awards are given annually to one member of the print and one member of the electronic media whose efforts have made a significant contribution to the game of basketball.
McCoy was raised on a farm in Williams, Iowa and went on to attend Drake University, where as a freshman in 1951 his broadcasting career began at KJFJ Radio in Webster City, Iowa. In 1994 McCoy received Drake's Alumni Achievement Award.
McCoy's latest honor comes on the heels of the recent announcement of the naming of the Al McCoy Media Center at US Airways Center, a newly renovated arena media area slated to open for the 2007-08 season which will chronicle Al's legendary broadcasting career.
"It's been a good year," said McCoy. "It's fantastic and unbelievable. I was shocked when I got the call originally, but I'm obviously very excited and very pleased. It's a terrific honor, and as good as it gets. To look at the list of announcers in the Basketball Hall of Fame is certainly impressive, but to receive the Curt Gowdy Media Award ? who was a great broadcaster and a great human being himself ? to receive that gives it a lot of special meaning, and just to be a part of the Hall of Fame is one of those indescribable moments."
Hall of Fame President & CEO John L. Doleva said, “The Gowdy Award presentation is certainly one of the highlights of Enshrinement Weekend, and both Mr. McCoy and Mr. Moran exemplify the true spirit of the award. These two men have dedicated much of their professional careers to telling the story of basketball for millions of readers, listeners and viewers, and the Hall of Fame is proud to honor their efforts.”
2007 Electronic award winner Al McCoy, considered by many to be the dean of all NBA play-by-play announcers, has been “The Voice of the Suns” for 35 years and counting.
McCoy began his career with Phoenix in 1972 and has been synonymous with Suns basketball ever since. His famous calls of “Shazam”, “zing go the strings” and “heartbreak hotel” are legendary, as is his call of the 1976 Suns-Celtics NBA Finals at Boston Garden when McCoy contended with an inebriated fan while broadcasting “The Shot Heard ?Round The World” that sent the game into triple overtime.
The Gowdy Award is just the latest in a long line of accolades McCoy has received for his contributions to the game. A sampling: In 2006, Phoenix Magazine named McCoy the best play-by-play announcer in their annual “Best of the Valley” issue for the eighth consecutive year, and is the only broadcaster to win the award since it debuted in 1999. McCoy was honored with a Silver Circle Award from the Arizona chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Arizona Museum of Broadcasting. He also became the first play-by-play announcer to be inducted into the Arizona Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2004.
The 2007-08 season will mark McCoy's 36th season with the Suns, the longest tenure with any one team among current broadcasters, and he will again be calling play-by-play action on KTAR Radio and the Suns radio network.
McCoy and wife Georgia, have three sons: Mike, and twins Jay and Jerry.
Previous Curt Gowdy Media Award Winners:
1990 Dick Herbert, Curt Gowdy
1991 Dave Dorr, Marty Glickman
1992 Sam Goldaper, Chick Hearn
1993 Leonard Lewin, Johnny Most
1994 Leonard Koppett, Cawood Ledford
1995 Bob Hammel, Dick Enberg
1996 Bob Hentzen, Billy Packer
1997 Bob Ryan, Marv Albert
1998 Larry Donald, Dick Vitale, Dick Weiss
1999 Smith Barrier, Bob Costas
2000 Dave Kindred, Hubie Brown
2001 Curry Kirkpatrick, Dick Stockton
2002 Jim O'Connell, Jim Nantz
2003 Sid Hartman, Hot Rod Hundley
2004 Phil Jasner, Max Falkenstien
2005 Jack McCallum, Bill Campbell
2006 Mark Heisler, Bill Raftery
Located in Springfield, Mass., the birthplace of basketball, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level. For more information on these and other upcoming events, please visit our website at www.hoophall.com or call 1-877-4-HOOPLA.
