NEWS
Bozich, Kane set records with Red Smith Award wins
Posted: Tuesday, October 01, 2002
Sportswriters Rick Bozich and Mike Kane established records while earning two of the four awards given recently by Churchill Downs in the 20th annual Red Smith Kentucky Derby (G1) Writing Contest.
Bozich, a columnist for the Louisville Courier-Journal, earned his eighth Red Smith award for his winning entry "These old-timers are still prime-timers" in the advance division of the contest.
Kane, lead turf writer and columnist for the Daily Gazette in Schenectady, New York, became the first writer to win a Red Smith Award in four consecutive years with his win in the Sunday wrap-up division for his story "Long shot waits then wins." Kane also won in that category in two of the previous three years.
Other winners in the contest were Louisville Courier-Journal lead turf writer Jennie Rees, who won her second straight Red Smith award in the Feature division for "Sue McPeek's Derby Diary." Rees has won four Red Smith awards during her career.
The winner in the Monday wrap-up division was Lew Freedman of the Chicago Tribune for his entry "It's much more than a race."
Each winner will receive an engraved sterling silver mint julep cup similar to those used to toast the Derby winner annually in a reception following the race. The awards are named for the late Pulitzer Prize-winning sportswriter and columnist Walter "Red" Smith.
