AP's Dahlberg, RING, RingTV.com win writing awards

Tim Dahlberg of the Associated Press was the big individual winner and THE RING magazine and its Web site, RingTV.com, won a combined 11 awards in the eighth annual Boxing Writers Association of America writing contest for the 2009 calendar year.

Dahlberg won three “Barneys,” named for the late BWAA president Barney Nagler. He finished first in two categories and second in a third, the only writer to finish in the top three in three of six categories.

He placed first in Event Coverage for his story on Manny Pacquiao’s victory over Miguel Cotto and first in Feature Under 1,750 words for a piece on George Foreman’s memories of his loss to Muhammad Ali. His finished second in Column for his story on the accidental death of Mike Tyson’s daughter.

Other first-place winners were Tim Smith of the New York Daily News (Column); Norm Frauenheim of CBSsports.com (News Story); Don Steinberg of Philadelphia Magazine (Feature Over 1,750 words) and Thomas Hauser of Secondsout.com (Investigative Reporting).

Bernard Fernandez of the Philadelphia Daily News was the only other writer to have two stories in the top three. He finished second in News Story and third in Feature Over 1,750 words.

RingTV.com won five awards. Co-Editor Michael Rosenthal received a third place (tied) in Feature Under 1,750 words and two honorable mentions (News Story and Feature Over 1,750 words). Columnist Eric Raskin and contributor Peter Owen Nelson won honorable mentions for Event Coverage.

THE RING magazine won six awards, two in the top three and four honorable mentions. Editor Nigel Collins won second place (tied) in Feature Under 1,750 words and Don Stradley won third place (tied) in Feature under 1,750 words.


The results:

EVENT COVERAGE: 1. Tim Dahlberg, The Associated Press. 2. (tie) Bill Dwyre, Los Angeles Times, and Springs Toledo, Thesweetscience.com. 3. (tie) Ronan Keenan, Thesweetscience.com, and Dave Skretta, The Associated Press. Honorable Mention: Ron Borges, Thesweetscience.com; Chris Cozzone, Fightnews.com; Peter Owen Nelson, RingTV.com; Eric Raskin, RingTV.com; T.K. Stewart, boxingscene.com.

COLUMN: 1. Tim Smith, New York Daily News. 2. Tim Dahlberg, The Associated Press. 3. David Weinberg, The Press of Atlantic City. Honorable Mention: Bart Barry, 15rounds.com; Adam Berlin, 15rounds.com; Ron Borges, Thesweetscience.com; Norm Frauenheim, 15rounds.com; Chris Mannix, SI.com; T.K. Stewart, boxingscene.com; Don Stradley, The Ring.

NEWS STORY: 1. Norm Frauenheim, CBSsports.com. 2. Bernard Fernandez, Philadelphia Daily News. 3. George Willis, New York Post. Honorable Mention: Ron Borges, Boston Herald; David P. Greisman, Boxingscene.com; George Kimball, Thesweetscience.com; Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times; Michael Rosenthal, RingTV.com; Don Stradley, The Ring; T.K. Stewart, Boxinscene.com; John Whisler, San Antonio Express-News.

FEATURE UNDER 1,750 WORDS: 1. Tim Dahlberg, The Associated Press. 2. (tie) Ron Borges, Boston Herald; Nigel Collins, The Ring. 3. (tie) Michael Rosenthal, RingTV.com; Don Stradley, The Ring. Honorable Mention: Norm Frauenheim, 15rounds.com; Matthew Hurley, Secondsout.com; Robert Mladinich, Thesweetscience.com; Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times; Dave Skretta, The Associated Press; Springs Toledo, Thesweetscience.com.

FEATURE OVER 1,750 WORDS: 1. Don Steinberg, Philadelphia Magazine. 2. Nancy Armour, The Associated Press. 3. Bernard Fernandez, Philadelphia Daily News. Honorable Mention: Thomas Gerbasi, Boxingscene.com; Michael Rosenthal, RingTV.com; Dave Skretta, The Associated Press; Tim Struby, ESPN The Magazine; Pablo S. Torre, Sports Illustrated.

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING: 1. Thomas Hauser, Secondsout.com. 2. Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times. 3. (tie) Richard Fletcher, Boxing Monthly; Lee Groves, Maxboxing.com; Tim Keown, ESPN.com. Honorable Mention: Ron Borges, Boxing Monthly; Bill Dettloff, The Ring; Bernard Fernandez, Philadelphia Daily News; Jerry Glick, Boxing Digest; Don Stradley, The Ring; Springs Toledo, Thesweetscience.com.