DALLAS (NCBWA) – Lou Spry, who has served as the
official scorer for the College World Series for more than 25 years,
is the 36th recipient of the Wilbur Snypp Award, presented
annually by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association
for outstanding contributions to college baseball.
"I'm very pleased that the National Collegiate Baseball Writers
Association has recognized me and placed me in the company of so
many good people in the business," Spry said. "I had high regard
for Wilbur Snypp and worked with him for a few years at the College
World Series. It's flattering to be considered for this honor, and
it has been a pleasure to be associated with college baseball for
so many years."
"Lou Spry actually had the opportunity to work with the Wilbur
Snypp Award's namesake from Ohio State at the NCAA World Series
and in other championship venues," said NCBWA executive director
Bo Carter. "Lou has been such a wonderful friend and inspiration
to college baseball for decades, and this honor is much deserved
and long overdue."
“No one I know cares more about college baseball in general and
the Men’s College World Series in particular,” said NCAA Director
of Statistics Jim Wright. “From the early years when he was the
primary NCAA administrator for the CWS in Omaha, to his many years
as the event’s official scorer, Lou Spry, Omaha and college baseball
will forever be connected. I’m proud to consider Lou a friend for
over 35 years and very proud that he now is a fellow Wilbur Snypp
winner.”
Lou has been in his role as official scorer of the College World
Series since 1981 and has worked more than 600 games as media coordinator,
primary administrator and scorer over 44 years.
Spry retired from the NCAA in April of 1999. He joined the staff
in 1966 as the only publications editor. He later became director
of research and director of publishing before being named assistant
to the executive director in April 1971.
In March 1972, Spry was appointed assistant executive director
for championships, and in May 1974 he was named controller. Spry
retained the position of controller until 1988, when he was selected
as an associate executive director and was responsible for the direction
of the NCAA's financial affairs.
He also managed 21 annual and special NCAA conventions from 1981-99.
Spry also worked as the sports information director at West Texas
A&M (then West Texas State) and was a longtime baseball umpire on
several levels including college. He earned the 1977 Lefty Gomez
Award for distinguished service to college baseball by the American
Baseball Coaches Association and in 1984, he received the Dutch
Fehring from the U.S. Baseball Federation. He was also named to
the Amateur Baseball Umpires Association’s Hall of Fame in 2001.
The Nebraska native attended both Pacific Lutheran University
and the University of Puget Sound. He and his wife Marilyn currently
reside in Overland Park, Kan.
Spry joins an illustrious group of College Sports Information
Directors of America Hall of Famers, noted national journalists
and others in receiving the award. The plaque memorializes longtime
Ohio State sports information director and NCBWA founder the late
Wilbur (Bill) Snypp. Snypp was a noted contributor to the writers'
organization, which was initiated in 1962 (and celebrating its 49th
year in 2010), as well as an officer in the group. The NCBWA/Wilbur
Snypp Award yearly honors a professional for contributions to the
sport of collegiate baseball. Voting is done by a panel of previous
winners, who include past NCAA World Series officials, SIDs, award-winning
media members, and college athletics administrators.
ALL-TIME WILBUR SNYPP AWARD
WINNERS |
1975 Wilbur
Snypp, Ohio State 1976 Bill Esposito, St. John's 1977 Phil Langan,
Cornell 1978 John Geis, Southern Conference 1979 Hank Schomber, Georgia
Southern 1980 Bob Culp, Western Michigan 1981 Lou Pavlovich Sr., Collegiate
Baseball 1982 Tom Price, South Carolina 1983 Bob Bradley, Clemson
1984 Robert Williams, Omaha World-Herald 1985 Jerry Miles, NCAA 1986
Larry Keefe, Seton Hall 1987 Tom Rowen, San Jose Mercury-News 1988
Fred Gerardi, KESY Radio, Omaha 1989 Jim Wright, NCAA 1990 Steve Weller,
SIU-Edwardsville 1991 Bill Little, Texas 1992 Kirk Bohls,
Austin American-Statesman 1993 Bo Carter, Southwest Conference 1994 Lou Pavlovich
Jr., Collegiate Baseball 1995 Steve Pivovar, Omaha World-Herald 1996
Gary Johnson, NCAA |
1997 Dave Wohlhueter, Cornell 1998 Allen Simpson,
Baseball America 1999 Alan Cannon, Texas A&M 2000 Jim
Callis, Baseball America 2001
Dick Case, USA Baseball 2002
Russ Anderson, Conference USA
2003 John Manuel, Baseball America
2004 Dana Heiss Grodin, USA Today
Sports Weekly 2005 Dennis
Poppe, NCAA 2006 Mike Montoro,
Southern Miss 2007 Barry
Allen, Alabama 2008 Mike
Patrick, ESPN 2009 Al Chase,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin 2010
Lou Spry, NCAA 2011 Jeremy
Mills, ESPN/D1Baseball.com
2012 Eric Olson, Omaha World Herald
2013 J.D. Hamilton, NCAA
2014 John Sullivan, Rice
2015 David Feaster, Dick Howser Trophy
2016 Ralph Zobell, BYU
2017 Aaron Fitt, D1Baseball.com |
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