From Staff
It’s not a Hall of Fame, says its founder, it’s just recognition.
The public has no access to the press box at Alltel Stadium so you’ll have to take our word for it — six retired or deceased sportswriters and sportscasters are honored there with plaques.
It was the idea of Ch. 4 sports director Sam Kouvaris, who followed through by raising money, getting the plaques made and getting them installed.
The Jacksonville Economic Development Commission’s Sports and Entertainment Board agreed to pay half of the $5,000 start-up cost if Kouvaris could find private donors to fund the rest. He had no trouble convincing the Gator Bowl Association, The Florida Times-Union, The Players Championship and his own station to chip in.
Kouvaris originally envisioned NFL Hall of Fame-style busts, but the $3,000 a piece price tag convinced him to go with plaques instead. The plaques weren’t cheap either. Kouvaris had them made at a specialty advertising company for about $700 each. But the reaction Kouvaris has received so far convinced him that it was money well spent.
“When Rex (Edmondson, sports editor for the Jacksonville Journal) saw his, he was quiet for about a minute. In all the years I’ve known him, I have never seen Rex speechless,” said Kouvaris.
Once the money was raised and a manufacturer found, Kouvaris faced his last challenge when it came time to write the commemorative biographies that accompany the portraits. He penned them himself.
“People who know me will see there’s a little bit of me in those scripts,” said Kouvaris.
Kouvaris wrote the biographies to pay tribute to the scribes and broadcasters that paved the way for his generation. But the scripts still produce a chuckle or two.
“I said Rex Edmondson is a rarity. A well-dressed, well-spoken writer,” said Kouvaris.
The hard work for Kouvaris will pay off next week when sports media from around the world arrive in Jacksonville to cover the Super Bowl. It will be a fitting unveiling. From the beginning, Kouvaris simply hoped to give this inaugural class its due.
“It came to me when I was at Jay Solomon’s funeral,” said Kouvaris. “Jay was the first real year-round sports radio guy here and he supported every sport in the community. He was a public figure. Everyone knew Jay.
“I spoke at his funeral, and I remember thinking, ‘I hope this isn’t the last time somebody commemorates his work.”
The six honorees are:
• The late Walt Dunbar, the first sports anchor at Ch. 12.
• Matt Cooney, a sports reporter for Ch. 4 and Ch. 12 who later hosted his own golf show on cable television.
• Edmondson, Jacksonville Journal editorial page editor and sports editor. He’s the only one still active, writing a weekly column for the Beaches Leader.
• The late Bill Kastelz, longtime Times-Union sports editor who coined the phrase “World’s largest outdoor cocktail party” about the Georgia-Florida football game.
• Solomon, who moved here from Miami to broadcast the Jacksonville Sharks of the World Football League and stayed to do various sports, particularly Jacksonville University basketball.
• Dick Stratton, the first sports anchor at Ch. 4.
Out of this also has come a budding organization named The Sports Media Alliance of Jacksonville. The membership will decide who joins the inaugural class on the wall.
“We have to have something in place to keep this going,” said Kouvaris. “We’ve already had suggestion for other people to add to the wall. I’m not sure how formal our organization will be, but you never can tell. Sportswriters and sportscasters like to get together.”
And when does Kouvaris think his plaque will hang from the press box wall?
“I’ll be dead and gone probably. I don’t care if I get up there, that’s not what this is about,” said Kouvaris. “This is just to remember those guys who made it their mission to promote sports in Jacksonville.”