Sports Media Report
Mike Breen (FCRH ’83), the 2020 Curt Gowdy Award-winning Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer, New York Knickerbockers play-by-play announcer on MSG Networks and “Voice of the NBA on ABC/ESPN” will become the second Fordham University alumnus to receive the Vin Scully Award for Excellence in Sports Broadcasting from WFUV Radio (90.7 FM/wfuv.org). WFUV is the noncommercial, member-supported public media service of Fordham University. The station celebrates its 75th anniversary this fall.
WFUV will also present Emmy Award-winning CBS Evening News anchor and 60 Minutes correspondent Norah O’Donnell with the Charles Osgood Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism.
The Awards will be presented on Tuesday night, November 1, at On the Record: A Celebration of Achievement in News and Sports Broadcasting, a benefit for WFUV, in the Costantino Room at Fordham School of Law (150 W. 62nd Street, NYC).
Anthony Mason, national correspondent for CBS News, will serve as emcee for the evening.
On the Record was not held in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, and no awards were presented.
George Bodarky (FCRH’93), Fordham alumnus and WFUV’s longtime news and public affairs director, and current community partnership and training editor at WNYC, will be honored with a special tribute.
The evening will also honor two of WFUV’s exceptional student broadcasters: newscaster Abigail Delk (FCRH ’22) and sportscaster Alexander Wolz (FCRH ’22).
Beth Knobel, associate professor of communication & media studies at Fordham, will host an armchair discussion with some of the participants.
Michael Kay (FCRH ’82), YES Network’s “Voice of the Yankees” and ESPN NY Radio host, became the first Fordham alum to receive the Scully Award in 2018. Breen and Kay were classmates at Fordham.
Breen is in his 30th year calling Knicks games. The Yonkers native and Long Island resident is best known for his “BANG” call for a critical basket.
For tickets to On the Record visit https://mailchi.mp/fordham/wfuv-on-the-record-evite or contact Theresa Lynch, WFUV’s assistant director of development and special events at tlynch@wfuv.org or 646-868-4226. Individual Tickets are priced at $500; and $250 for Fordham “Young Alumni” (2013 to 2022 graduates)
Said Breen: “When you are a Fordham graduate, a WFUV alumnus, and a play-by-play broadcaster, receiving an award named after Mr. Scully is the highest honor I could ever receive. Mr. Scully’s talent and skill on the air, and his character and integrity as a man, has made him the ultimate role model for me and countless broadcasters that span over generations. I am so humbled and grateful for this incredible honor.”
Said O’Donnell: “I’m incredibly honored to receive this year’s Charles Osgood Award. As a broadcast journalist, I really do believe that telling stories and interviewing people can change lives. And it’s because of programs like the one at Fordham University and WFUV, the next generation of journalists are prepared to carry on the best standards and become even more impactful.”
The Scully Award recognizes the late, iconic baseball broadcaster who passed away earlier this year. In 2016, he completed his 67th season as “Voice of the Dodgers” and is a renowned Fordham alumnus (FCRH 1949). WFUV was the launching pad for his Hall of Fame broadcast career. Previous Scully Award recipients include: inaugural honoree Vin Scully (2008), Dick Enberg (2009), Ernie Harwell (2010), Pat Summerall (2011), Al Michaels (2012), Bob Costas (2013), Verne Lundquist (2014), Mike “Doc” Emrick (2015), Brent Musburger (2016), Bob Wolff (2017), Michael Kay (2018), Tim McCarver (2019).
The Osgood Award acknowledges the distinguished Fordham/WFUV Radio alumnus (FCRH 1954) who was the long time, Emmy Award-winning anchor of CBS Sunday Morning and recipient of the 2017 News & Documentary Emmy Award for Lifetime Achievement. Previous Osgood Award honorees include: inaugural recipient Charles Osgood (2008), Jim Lehrer (2009), Bob Schieffer (2010), Tom Brokaw (2011). Christiane Amanpour (2012), Sam Donaldson (2013), Scott Simon (2014), Lesley Stahl (2016), Judy Woodruff and Gwen Ifill (co-recipients in 2017), Jane Pauley (2018), Ted Koppel (2019).
