Charlotte, NC – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today, at NBA All-Star Weekend, longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein and legendary Los Angeles Clippers announcer Ralph Lawler are the 2019 Curt Gowdy Media Award recipients.
The Curt Gowdy Media Award is named in honor of the late Curt Gowdy, a legendary sports broadcaster and former Hall of Fame Board member and President. This prestigious award is presented annually to members of the electronic and print media whose longtime efforts have made a significant contribution to the game of basketball.
For more than 30 years, Marc Stein has covered the National Basketball Association for a variety of media organizations. As a college student at Cal State – Fullerton, Stein’s first NBA assignment was covering the Los Angeles Summer League at Loyola Marymount for the Orange County Register, specifically focusing on rookies David Robinson and Vlade Divac in 1989. Upon graduation two years later, he covered Magic Johnson’s famed retirement press conference at The Forum.
As a full-time beat writer with the Los Angeles Daily News, Stein covered the Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers for two seasons each, traveling with the Lakers for Magic Johnson’s comeback in 1995-1996 and the first season of the Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal era in 1996-1997. In 1997, Stein transitioned to the Dallas Morning News, covering the Mavericks featuring NBA newcomer Dirk Nowitzki and eventually becoming a national NBA columnist.
In 2002, Stein joined ESPN serving as a weekly NBA correspondent. In his 15 seasons covering the NBA for ESPN, Stein took on many roles including reporter, insider and columnist on the cable network’s numerous platforms including ESPN.com, SportsCenter, ESPN Radio, NBA television specials and ESPN The Mag. Stein is now a reporter for The New York Times and has amassed a faithful Twitter following of over 1.2 million basketball fans.
Ralph Lawler has broadcast games for the San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers for more than 30 years, keeping Clippers fans tuned-in for more than 2,000 broadcasts with his off-the-cuff style. Known for his quick wit and sometimes sarcastic sense of humor, Lawler currently does Clippers telecasts for Prime Ticket/FOX Sports West and KFWB 980 AM.
A native of Peoria, Illinois, Lawler was born in 1938 and played basketball until he realized his gift for gab might take him places. He got his start in radio in Peoria but established his career in Philadelphia where he worked Phillies, Flyers and 76ers games. Lawler earned Pennsylvania Sportscaster of the Year, before taking his talents west to California where he covered the San Diego Conquistadors and San Diego Chargers.
Lawler has worked alongside Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton and now does broadcasts with former Clipper Mike Smith. Lawler has been inducted into the Bradley University Sports Hall of Fame, as well as the South California Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
Marc Stein and Ralph Lawler will be acknowledged for their contributions to basketball media during the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement events September 5-7 in Springfield, Massachusetts – the birthplace of basketball.
Previous Curt Gowdy Media Award Winners:
Year - Print/Electronic
1990 - Dick Herbert/Curt Gowdy
1991 - Dave Dorr/Marty Glickman
1992 - Sam Goldaper/Chick Hearn
1993 - Leonard Lewin/Johnny Most
1994 - Leonard Koppett/Cawood Ledford
1995 - Bob Hammel/Dick Enberg
1996 - Bob Hentzen/Billy Packer
1997 - Bob Ryan/Marv Albert
1998 - Larry Donald & Dick Weiss/Dick Vitale
1999 - Smith Barrier/Bob Costas
2000 - Dave Kindred/Hubie Brown
2001 - Curry Kirkpatrick/Dick Stockton
2002 - Jim O’Connell/Jim Nantz
2003 - Sid Hartman/Hot Rod Hundley
2004 - Phil Jasner/Max Falkenstien
2005 - Jack McCallum/Bill Campbell
2006 - Mark Heisler/Bill Raftery
2007 - Malcolm Moran/Al McCoy
2008 - David DuPree/Bob Wolff
2009 - Peter Vecsey/Doug Collins
2010 - Jackie MacMullan/Joe Tait
2011 - Alexander Wolff/Jim Durham
2012 - Sam Smith/Bill Schonely
2013 - John Feinstein/Eddie Doucette
2014 - Joe Gilmartin/John Andariese
2015 - Rich Clarkson/Woody Durham
2016 - David Aldridge/Jay Bilas
2017 - Harvey Araton/Craig Sager
2018 - Andy Bernstein/Doris Burke
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum and events, visit www.hoophall.com, follow @hoophall #GowdyAward or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.