Remembering Four Sports Writing Legends
For the first time in its history, the Alabama Sports Writers Association (ASWA) paused its annual awards night not just to celebrate excellence—but to honor four legendary sports journalists who left an indelible mark on the state’s sporting narrative.
These pioneers were instrumental in shaping the ASWA since its founding in the early 1970s, helping define its mission and values. Their legacies were celebrated alongside current award winners, student-athlete honors, and the enduring spirit of Alabama sports.
Honoring the Icons: A Tribute to Four Giants
🏆 Mike Bolton: The Outdoor Storyteller
A fixture at The Birmingham News and AL.com, Bolton was celebrated for his masterful coverage of outdoor sports, NASCAR, and college football. A two-time recipient of the Herby Kirby Award, he also claimed multiple Associated Press Sweepstakes Awards for his groundbreaking sports reporting. His Pulitzer-nominated investigative series on the Cahaba River underscored his commitment to environmental storytelling, while his wins in conservation and hunting competitions solidified his reputation as a versatile journalist.
📰 Rubin Grant: The Trailblazing Editor
As the first Black sports editor at the University of Alabama’s Crimson White, Grant spent 25 years shaping high-school sports coverage at the Birmingham Post-Herald. His impact was recognized with the Herby Kirby Award (1981), and his decades-long dedication to the Birmingham Barons earned him induction into their Hall of Fame. Beyond his reporting, Grant co-authored a definitive book on Alabama high-school football, cementing his place in the state’s sports lore.
✍️ Phillip Marshall: The Voice of Alabama Sports
Marshall’s career spanned multiple Alabama newspapers before he became the senior editor at Auburn247 Sports. A two-time Alabama Sports Writer of the Year, he amassed over 20 statewide awards, including a stint as ASWA president in the early 1980s. His influence extended across the Southeast, where his insightful reporting earned him widespread respect among peers and readers alike.
✍️ John Pruett: The Decades-Long Standard
Pruett began his career at The Huntsville Times in 1966, rising to become its sports editor a decade later. His dominance was unparalleled—17-time Alabama Sportswriter of the Year—and in 2006, he and George Smith became the first recipients of the Mel Allen Media Award from the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. Pruett achieved the rare "grand slam" of ASWA honors, winning the Herby Kirby Award, Bill Shelton Award, Hall of Fame induction, and presidency.
Champions of the Present: 2024 ASWA Honors
The awards ceremony also celebrated the year’s top performers, recognizing both athletic achievement and inspirational leadership.
🏆 Special Awards
- Presidents’ Award: Philip Rivers – A high-school football coach who returned from retirement to mentor his players, embodying the ASWA’s tradition of honoring unsung heroes.
🏈 Collegiate & Professional Prowess
- Pro Athlete of the Year: Bo Nix (Denver Broncos quarterback)
- Amateur Athlete of the Year: Jackson Koivun (Auburn golfer)
- Small College Athlete of the Year: Andrew Body (Alabama State quarterback)
- Community College Athlete of the Year: Addie Edward (Northeast Alabama softball player)
Capturing the Moment
Photographer Vasha Hunt (AL.com) and videographer Christopher Walsh preserved the event’s most memorable moments, ensuring the legacies of both the departed and the celebrated would endure.
As the ASWA’s online platform, SI/BamaCentral, continues to chronicle Alabama’s sports landscape, the 2024 awards night stood as a testament to past, present, and future excellence in the state’s athletic journalism and competition.
