www.pswadinner.com

Sorry for the inconvenience, but this blog has moved to www.pswadinner.com.

The move was made to better serve the sports fans of the Delaware Valley, and, quite frankly, to help sell tickets to the annual Awards Dinner.

Visit the new site as we continue to develop it. It will be your one-stop source for information about the dinner, the award-winners, press releases, and ticket info.

The dinner is scheduled for Monday night, Jan. 26, 2009.

Tickets are available to the public at $75 apiece. For more information, visit www.pswadinner.com or send e-mail to pswatickets@yahoo.com.

Mark the date: Monday, Jan. 26, 2009

Mark your calendar and plan on being on-hand for the Philadelphia Sportswriters Association's annual Awards dinner on Monday night, January 26, 2009.

Yeah, it sounds like a long way off ... the Phillies season isn't over yet, and the Eagles have barely started their run for the Super Bowl.

But time has a way of flying, and it'll be here before you know it.

I'm glad to report that after much discussion, the Sportswriters have decided to do our share to help reign in this national financial crisis, and tickets will remain at $75. The price has been set at $75 for quite some time now.

This is arguably the best sports bargain in town.

We will be rolling out a new web site for ticket sales and information. More information will be available on this blog in the near future.

Thanks for visiting.

Jon Runyan to be honored for charitable efforts

Jon Runyan, who has not missed a game since joining the Eagles before the 2000 season, has also not missed an opportunity to give his time to numerous causes.

The Eagles' big right tackle, who will start his 194th consecutive NFL game on Sunday against Buffalo, will be recognized for his untiring charitable efforts as the recipient of the Humanitarian Award at the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association's 104th annual Award Dinner on Monday, Jan. 28, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cherry Hill.

Among the many organizations Runyan works with are the American Cancer Society, the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the Children's Miracle Network, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and St. Jude's Children Hospital.

Runyan will join a star-studded dais that already includes Jimmy Rollins, Kyle Korver, Matt Ryan, Daniel Briere, Charlie Manuel and Herb Magee, with more to come, with Harry Kalas again serving as Master of Ceremonies.

Tickets ($75 apiece; $900 for a table of 12) are available to the public, and can be purchased by sending a check made payable to PSWA to: PSWA Tickets, 110 Harrogate Dr., Lumberton, NJ 08048.

For more information, e-mail pswadinner@yahoo.com.

Kyle Korver of the 76ers to receive Good Guy Award

Kyle Korver has been a 76ers' fan favorite since he came into the NBA in 2003, and has also been a favorite of sportswriters, always available after games to talk about what had happened on the court.

And now he will be officially recognized as a Good Guy when he receives that annual award for co-operation with the media at the 104th annual Philadelphia Sports Writers Association Award Dinner on Monday, Jan. 28.

One of the best pure shooters in the NBA, Korver is the greatest three-point shooter in 76ers history, connecting on 41% of his attempts (650 - 1587) in his four full NBA seasons, with a best of 43% last season (132 - 307). One of the NBA's best free-throw shooters, Korver had connected on 414 of 471 foul shots (87.9%) coming into this season.

Kyle Korver is the latest big name to be added to the Sports Writers dais, joining Jimmy Rollins and Matt Ryan, the Outstanding Pro and Amateur Athletes, with many more to come.

The Sports Writers Association Dinner will again be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Route 70 in Cherry Hill, N.J.

Tickets ($75 apiece; $900 for a table of 12) are available to the public, and can be purchased by sending a check made payable to PSWA to: PSWA Tickets, 110 Harrogate Dr., Lumberton, NJ 08048.

Boston College's Matt Ryan to be honored

Matt Ryan, recent winner of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as college football's top senior quarterback, will receive the Outstanding Amateur Athlete Award at the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association's 104th annual Award Dinner on Monday, Jan. 28, 2008.

Ryan, a 2002 graduate of Philadelphia's William Penn Charter School, has had a brilliant collegeiate career at Boston College. His career numbers going into the Champs Sports Bowl against Michigan State on Dec. 28 are 9,064 passing yards (785-1300), with 53 touchdowns. This season Ryan has completed 366 passes in 607 attempts for 4258 yards and 28 TDs.

Matt Ryan is the latest person to join what will be another outstanding head table at the Sports Writers' Dinner. Among those with him on the dais will be National League MVP Jimmy Rollins, the Association's Outstanding Professional Athlete; Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, who will be accepting the Team of the Year honor; and former Phillies closer and one of the stars of the 1993 pennant winers Mitch Willliams.

The Philadelphia Sports Writers Association Dinner, the longest-running sports-award event in the United States, will again be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Route 70 in Cherry Hill.

Tickets ($75 apiece; $900 for a table of 12) are available to the public, and can be purchased by sending a check made payable to PSWA to: PSWA Tickets, 110 Harrogate Dr., Lumberton, NJ 08048.

MVP Rollins Wins Outstanding Pro Athlete Award

Jimmy Rollins, National League MVP and the man who led the Phillies' charge to the playoffs, heads the list of honorees who will be on the dais when the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association holds its 104th annual Award Dinner on Monday evening, Jan. 28, 2008.

Rollins will be recognized by the Association as the OUTSTANDING PRO ATHLETE for 2007, following teammate Ryan Howard, who won the award for 2006.

From his pre-season prediction that the Phillies were the team to beat in the NL East to his performance in game 162, Rollins personified the phrase "Most Valuable Player."

When he receives his award, he'll be linked with some of the great athletes who have been recognized by the Association since the award was first presented in 1937, including first-winner Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial, Steve Van Buren, Mickey Mantle, Sandy Koufax,Wilt Chamberlain, Bobby Orr, Mike Schmidt, Carl Lewis and Muhammad Ali.

While Rollins will receive an individual honor, the Phillies team will also be recognized as the Association's TEAM OF THE YEAR, and manager Charlie Manual will be in attendance to accept that award.

Jimmy Rollins and the Phillies will highlight the award winners, but the final list of honorees will again be a who's who of local and national sports stars for the past year.

The Sports Writers Asssociation Dinner will again be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Route 70 in Cherry Hill.

Tickets cost $75.00, and can be purchased by sending a check made payable to PSWA to Ticket Chairman, 110 Harrogate Dr., Lumberton, NJ 08048. Include your name, address, phone number and e-mail address.

For more information, send e-mail to pswadinner@yahoo.com.

Phillies to be Honored

According to a highly placed source in the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association, the Philadelphia Phillies will be honored as the Team of the Year at the PSWA's 104th annual Awards Dinner on Monday, Jan. 28, 2008.

The Phils made a thrilling late-season run to catch, pass and shock the New York Mets and win the National League East title.

The Mets, the division leaders all year long, held an seemingly insurmountable seven-game lead with just 17 games to play.

But the Phillies, who captured the heart of the regions baseball fans with their grit, personality, confidence and never-say-die demeanor, sprinted past the stunned Metropolitans, clinching the division crown and a playoff berth with a thrilling performance on the last Sunday in September.

Phillies' manager Charlie Manuel will be on hand to accept the award, and we are hopeful that a couple more Phillies may join him on our sizable dais.