Two college basketball media giants – longtime New York Daily News columnist Dick “Hoops” Weiss and Associated Press National College writer Jim “OC” O’Connell – will be the inaugural recipients of the Fairfield University Basketball “Stags Lifetime Achievement Award: Leader of the Herd” for long and meritorious service on Thursday night, October 24, at the University Club (1 West 54 Street) in New York City, it was announced by Fairfield Athletic Director Gene Doris.
The Basketball Tip Off event will be from 6:00-8:00 PM. Tickets are priced at $25 for general admission. For tickets and information call Pat Murphy at 203/254-4000 x2102 or register online at www.fairfield.edu/friendsofbballnyc.
The legendary writers have both received the Curt Gowdy Award to enshrinement in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and have a combined 80 years of award-winning coverage of college basketball including a total of 77 N.C.A.A. championships! Doris will be joined by head men’s basketball coach Sydney Johnson, women’s coach Joe Frager, and special guests in presenting the awards for “distinguished service and lifetime achievement with accuracy and journalistic integrity, while keeping the efforts of the student-athletes at the forefront.” Fairfield President Rev. Jeffrey von Arx, S.J. will be in attendance for the inaugural presentation ceremony.
The inaugural plaques will be permanently displayed both in the Fairfield Athletics office, and at the Fairfield Stags Club in the Webster Bank Arena, “Home of the Stags,” in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
WFAN Radio update reporter Bob Heussler, the “Voice of the Stags on WICC Radio,” will serve as Master of Ceremonies at Fairfield’s Basketball Tip-Off Dinner.
“We are delighted to honor the accomplishments and careers of ‘Hoops’ and ‘OC,’ true legends in their own time. These two senior members of the basketball writers have furthered college basketball and the student athletes during distinguished careers,” said Doris. “They have served their profession in exemplary fashion with style and grace that is a model for aspiring sports writers, and for student-athletes as they prepare for their post-college careers.”