Tri-State League Commissioner Ed Gadomski to receive Good Sport Award from Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance
Copyright Dan Podheiser Register-Citizen 03/15/2012
The Gold Key Award is the highest sports honor in Connecticut as the Alliance recognizes those who have made significant contributions to athletics in Connecticut.
Five deserving individuals who have contributed their time to sports in their communities will receive 2012 John Wentworth Good Sport Awards from the Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance. Given in memory of the longtime sports editor of the New Britain Herald, the CSWA will recognize John Riley, Wayne Potvin, John Commune, Ed Gadomski and Bob Peruzzotti for their voluntary support of community sports and charitable organizations at the 71st annual Gold Key Dinner on Sunday April 29 at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington.
Past award Gold Key recipients include baseball great Connie Mack, boxing legend Willie Pep and former President George H. W. Bush, Jim Calhoun, Geno Auriemma, Rico Brogna, Scott Burrell, Ron Francis , Brian Leetch , Gordie Howe, Rebecca Lobo, Otto Graham, Andy Robustelli, Bobby Valentine, Calvin Murphy, Bob Steele, Fay Vincent Jr, and Jennifer Rizzotti.
http://ctsportswriters.org/honorroll.html
Ed Gadomski has been the commissioner of the Connecticut Tri-State Baseball League since October 2003 and has since done wonders for one of the longest-standing amateur baseball leagues in the state. Gadomski, a Thomaston native who began playing in the league with the Thomaston Spoilers in 1992, has expanded the league from six to 18 teams since he took over as commissioner. He’s responsible for the league’s hosting of the AABC Stan Musial State Tournament for the past eight years, and has orchestrated several charity fundraiser games and tournaments in Litchfield County. He also created the Tri-State League’s website in 2007. In addition, Gadomski’s relationship with the local press has been instrumental in the league’s growth. He even has instituted fines for coaches who do not report results to the press, ensuring full publicity for the league.
“I knew Wentworth, former sports editor of the New Britain Herald, and he was both a good sport and good guy . . . like Eddie G. who has devoted tons of time and tireless effort to the Tri-State League” stated sportswriter Owen Canfield. “It would not be the outstanding entity that it is without him. Newspapers have changed greatly, but the Alliance rolls on, and I’m one who is very glad of it, because the organization’s annual Gold Key Dinner continues to honor deserving state sports people.”
Other honorees at the 71st Gold Key Dinner include Former UConn basketball player Kemba Walker who will receive the Bill Lee Male Athlete of the Year Award, while former University of New Haven track star Shannon Gagne will be honored as the Hank O’Donnell Female Athlete of the Year. Former Masuk High quarterback Casey Cochran was selected as the Hal Levy High School Athlete of the Year Award winner, and Dave Balfore will receive the Bob Casey Courage Award.
In addition to the Good Sport Awards, the Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance will be presenting Gold Keys to Kristine Lilly, who began her storied soccer career in Wilton and was a member of the United States women’s national team for 24 years, Dave Shea, who has won over 300 games in three different sports at Bacon Academy in Colchester, John Dunham, who has collected over 400 wins in 37 years as coach of the Trinity College hockey team, and Mike Walsh, winner of over 500 games and six state championships at Trinity Catholic High School in Stamford. Peter Vander Veer, whose career in sports journalism spans more than four decades, has been selected as the 2012 recipient of the Art McGinley Award. Sandy Wickman Mason, who led Granby Memorial to its third straight state championship this past fall and sixth state crown overall in her nine years, and Thayer Redman, who guided the Manchester boys track and field team to its first state title since World War II, have been selected as the Doc McInerney High School Coaches of the Year by the Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance.
Tickets to the 2012 Gold Key Dinner, which begins at 4 p.m., can be purchased by contacting either CSWA President George Albano of The (Norwalk) Hour at [email protected], or Vice President and Dinner Chairman Bob Ehalt of The New Haven Register at [email protected]. Tickets can also be obtained by mailing a check for $75 to Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance, P.O. Box 70, Unionville, CT, 06085. For more information on the history of the dinner, visit the Alliance website at ctsportswriters.org.