Sports Personality Voting Deadline Nears Jack Buck Sports Awards, Wednesday, December 13 The winner of the 2006 Sports Personality of the Year Award is exclusively selected by the members of the Missouri Athletic Club. Over the years, the coveted award has honored some of the biggest names in sports history: Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Ozzie Smith, Brett Hull, Jimmy Connors, Albert Pujols and Marshall Faulk are a few of the past winners.
Time is running out to vote for the 2006 M.A.C. Sports Personality of the Year Award. Ballots must be received by Thursday, Oct. 19. Club members have the opportunity to vote for the winner either online (vote now!) or on the ballot mailed in the October statements.
The winner will be announced in the November Cherry Diamond. The 2006 Sports Personality of the Year, along with other distinguished members of the St. Louis sports community, will be honored at the Jack Buck Sports Awards in December. Joe Buck, the top play-by-play broadcaster in the country, will serve as master of ceremonies.
Annually, this popular event sells out quickly, so make your reservations as early as possible. Reservations will be taken beginning today, Monday, Oct. 9, at 9 a.m. Members can make reservations in person by dropping by the Catering Office located in the Art Lounge or by calling 314-539-4470.
The Candidates
The award, which M.A.C. member Jack Buck helped establish in 1970, annually honors the top local sports figure. This year’s ballot features five strong candidates: Torry Holt, Ryan Howard, Cory Spinks, Bruce Sutter and Ian Vouyoukas.
Entering his eighth season in the NFL, wide receiver Torry Holt has been the model of consistency. As a rookie in the 1999 season, he burst onto the scene and helped lead the Rams to their Super Bowl season. He followed up that stellar debut with six consecutive seasons with at least 1,300 receiving yards. No player in NFL history has accomplished that feat. Not even the legendary Jerry Rice!
In just his first full season in the major leagues, Lafayette High School alum Ryan Howard has established himself as the top slugger in baseball. At the 2006 All-Star Game, the Philadelphia Phillies’ first baseman flexed his muscles by winning the home run hitting contest. This past season, Howard led major league baseball in home runs and runs batted in to put himself into contention for the National League’s Most Valuable Player Award.
This summer at the Savvis Center, St. Louis boxer Cory Spinks returned to the ring after a 17 month layoff and defeated Roman Karmazin to win the IBF Junior Middleweight title. The southpaw has had two big title fights in his hometown and is one of the rising stars in boxing.
Bruce Sutter was inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame this past summer. He revolutionized the split-fingered fastball and was one of baseball’s first great closing relief pitcher specialists. The highlight of Sutter’s career was striking out Gorman Thomas to help the Cardinals close out the Milwaukee Brewers and capture the 1982 World Series.
Ian Vouyoukas made great strides during the 2005-06 season for the SLU Billikens basketball team. The 6-foot-10-inch center earned Atlantic 10 first Team honors and the conference’s Most Improved Award. He enters his senior season as one of the top centers in college basketball and has caught the eye of NBA scouts.
