Shields to begin 30th season calling local basketball games

Shields among six Maine journalists named NSSA award finalists

Tue, 11/25/2014 - 7:00am

The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association has released the list of finalists for its annual Sportscasters and Sportswriters of the Year Awards.

In Maine, the three finalists for Sportscasters of the Year are all broadcasters for Learfield Sports/Black Bear Sports Properties. Meanwhile, the three finalists for the Maine Sportswriter of the Year Award hail from the state’s daily newspapers. 

Last week, finalists for all 50 states and the District of Columbia were announced, along with finalists for the national honors.  

Up for the Sportscaster of the Year Award are Rich Kimball, Dan Hannigan and Don Shields.

Kimball is the voice of Black Bear football and the host of a daily “Downtown” talk show in Bangor, Hannigan has called Black Bear ice hockey for the last two decades, and Shields calls Black Bear women’s basketball.

In December, Shields will begin his 30th year of calling Midcoast high school basketball for 105.5 FRANK FM. 

Hoping to win Sportswriter of the Year are Ernie Clark of the Bangor Daily News, Mark Emmert of the Portland Press Herald and Larry Mahoney of the Bangor Daily News.

Final balloting will take place in December, with winners named in January.

Awards will be presented during the 56th Annual NSSA Awards Weekend, June 6-8, 2015, in Salisbury, N.C.

To view a complete list of finalists, for all states and national awards, click here


Don Shields contributed to this story. 

Reach the sports department at: sports@penbaypilot.com