Frank Deford Wins Damon Runyon Award

April 10, 2012 - PRLog -- DENVER — The Denver Press Club has named prolific author, sportswriter, and HBO and NPR broadcaster Frank Deford as recipient of the 18th Annual Damon Runyon Award.

Deford will accept the award at a banquet in his honor on Friday, May 4, 2012 at the Denver Marriott City Center, 1701 California St.

Tickets are $110 and can be purchased online at www.blacktie-colorado.com; go to May 4 on the Denver events calendar page. Tickets are $90 for members of the Denver Press Club, Denver Woman's Press Club, Colorado Press Women, the Colorado chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, the Colorado chapter of the Public Relations Society of America and the Colorado Association of Black Journalists.

This event is open to everyone. In addition, DPC offers a $25 ticket to attend the VIP reception at the club, which goes from 5-6 p.m.

Deford is one of the most versatile American writers. On radio, he may be heard as a commentator every Wednesday on “Morning Edition” on National Public Radio and, on television, he is senior correspondent on the HBO show, “Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel.” In magazines, Deford is a senior contributing writer at Sports Illustrated –– an association that dates back to 1962.

Moreover, two of Deford’s books -- the novel, Everybody’s All-American, and Alex: The Life Of A Child, his memoir about his daughter who died of cystic fibrosis -- have been made into movies.  Two of his original screenplays also have been filmed.  

As a journalist, Deford has been elected to the Hall of Fame of the National Association of Sportscasters and Sportswriters.  Six times at Sports Illustrated, Deford was voted by his peers as U.S. Sportswriter of The Year.  The American Journalism Review has likewise cited him as the nation’s finest sportswriter, and twice he was voted Magazine Writer of The Year by the Washington Journalism Review.
Each year, the club presents the Runyon award to a journalist whose work best exemplifies the vivid writing style of Damon Runyon, an early member of the Denver Press Club in 1906-07.
Runyon wrote for The Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News before going on to fame and glory in New York City as one of the best-read columnists of his day. His collection of short stories, “Guys and Dolls,” later became the basis for the famous musical.

Previous recipients of the award include Jimmy Breslin, Mike Royko, Molly Ivins, Herb Caen, Pete Hamill, Ted Turner, Maureen Dowd, Tom Brokaw, David Halberstam, Ed Bradley, Carl Hiaasen, Seymour Hersh, George Will, Bob Costas, Tim Russert, Rick Reilly, P.J. O’Rourke and Anna Quindlen.

For more information, contact Bruce Goldberg at 303-803-9226.

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Founded in 1867, the Denver Press Club is the oldest press club in the United States. With more than 400 members from the media and many other professions, DPC has become a home for author bookings, leading political discussions, entertainment and networking. Each year, the club hosts more than 100 events, including the club’s signature Runyon Award, Gridiron and Hall of Fame presentations. The club’s unique landmarked building and history-laden atmosphere is a highly sought-after venue and is regularly rented for media events, business meetings, seminars, networking events and wedding receptions. To learn more about the club, visit www.denverpressclub.org.