NHL Announces Media Awards For HHOF Induction

TORONTO (June 1, 2010) — Bill Hay, Chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame, announced today that MARC DE FOY, who has covered hockey in Montreal for more than 30 years, will receive the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award for hockey journalism.

Hay also announced that RON WEBER, the original play-by-play voice of the Washington Capitals, will receive the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for outstanding contributions as a hockey broadcaster.

Marc de Foy is a 28-year veteran in one of the most competitive hockey-writing markets in the world – Montreal. During that time de Foy has earned the respect of his colleagues by routinely breaking stories and by consistently producing honest and accurate copy. He is described by fellow Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award winner Yvon Pedneault as “a strong, diligent and hard working beat writer, more concerned with telling the story than being part of the story”. For the past 16 months, Marc has been following the Canadiens and the NHL for ruefrontenac.com.

“In Montreal’s challenging, highly competitive media market, Marc de Foy has been a standout performer for more than two decades,” said Kevin Allen, president of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. “He’s an old school reporter who breaks big stories on a regular basis. He is a man known for his classy approach, his work ethic and his devotion to telling stories accurately and professionally.”

When the Washington Capitals joined the NHL as an expansion team in 1974, Baltimore Clippers play-by-play announcer Ron Weber was hired to be the voice of the NHL’s newest franchise. The Lock Haven, Pennsylvania native called every one of the team’s record-breaking 67 defeats that year. Over the next 23 years Weber never missed a regular season or playoff broadcast, talking Capitals fans through 1,936 consecutive games.

“Ron has been a key contributor to the growth of NHL hockey interest in the D.C. area over his two-plus decades as the original voice of the Capitals,” said Chuck Kaiton, President, NHL Broadcasters’ Association. “He is very worthy of this honour.”

Weber and de Foy will receive the awards at a luncheon presentation on Monday, November 8, 2010. This year’s Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Weekend will take place November 5th to 8th, culminating with the Induction Ceremony beginning at 7:00 P.M. (EST) on Monday, November 8.

The 2010 Hockey Hall of Fame Inductees will be announced on Tuesday, June 22, following the annual Selection Committee meeting that same day. Please visit HHOF.com for first-year eligible players for induction in 2010.

Named in honour of the late Montreal newspaper reporter, the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award was first presented in 1984 by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association in recognition of distinguished members of the hockey writing profession whose words have brought honour to journalism and to the game of hockey.

The Foster Hewitt Memorial Award is named in honour of the late “Voice of Hockey” in Canada. It was first presented in 1984 by the NHL Broadcasters’ Association in recognition of members of the radio and television industry who have made outstanding contributions to their profession and to the game of hockey.

About HHOF: Established in 1943, the Hockey Hall of Fame is a museum and place of entertainment offering state-of-the-art exhibits, multimedia presentations and educational programming from its premises at Brookfield Place, Toronto, Canada where its operations have flourished since June 1993. Its mandate is to recognize and honour the achievements of individuals who bring special distinction to the game of hockey, and to collect, preserve and exhibit objects, images and resource materials connected with the game as it is played in Canada and throughout the world.