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Jack Buck Awards
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CELEBRATING ST. LOUIS SPORTS
The Missouri Athletic Club’s Missouri Room saw a sold-out crowd on Wednesday, Dec. 7 when it was the site of The 53rd Jack Buck Sports Awards presented by Redbird Carriers. The event celebrated the accomplishments of the best in St. Louis sports. For more than a half-century, an impressive list of Hall of Famers, All-Stars and coaching greats have been honored at this banquet, and this year was no exception. Every banquet since its inception in 1970 has aired on KMOX Radio.
Maksim Bely, Saint Louis University High School’s ice hockey goalie, was recognized for his achievements on and off the ice with the Jim Ryan Memorial Trophy. Bruce Affleck, the long-time President of the St. Louis Blues Alumni Association, received the Jack Buck Award from former Blues enforcer Kelly Chase. Although he was unable to be at the event, Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado was honored with the Sports Personality of the Year Award. Saint Louis University basketball player Yuri Collins was supported by his family and entire team as he received the Carl O. Bauer Award from coach Travis Ford. Legendary shortstop Ozzie Smith presented Cardinals broadcaster Mike Claiborne with the Burnes/Broeg Award. Dick Vermeil, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2022, received the Bob Plager Legends Award from NFL great Orlando Pace.
This annual banquet was established by Missouri Athletic Club member Jack Buck to honor the top St. Louis sports figures. Some of the biggest names in sports history including Bob Gibson, Joe Torre, Lou Brock, Ozzie Smith, Al MacInnis, Jackie JoynerKersee, Brett Hull, Marshall Faulk, Albert Pujols and Kurt Warner have been honored at the event.
TOP ROW: BROADCASTER TOM ACKERMAN HOLDS A Q&A WITH PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME COACH DICK VERMEIL; THE ENTIRE SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM SUPPORTS THEIR TEAMMATE, CARL O. BAUER AWARD RECIPIENT YURI COLLINS; JIM RYAN MEMORIAL TROPHY RECIPIENT MAKSIM BELY POSES WITH BLUES PRESIDENT AND CEO OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS CHRIS ZIMMERMAN AND BLUES OWNER TOM STILLMAN. MIDDLE ROW: FORMER ST. LOUIS BLUES NATIONAL ANTHEM SINGER CHARLES GLENN PERFORMS THE “STAR SPANGLED BANNER”; NHL ENFORCER KELLY CHASE PRESENTS THE JACK BUCK AWARD TO PRESIDENT OF THE ST. LOUIS BLUES ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BRUCE AFFLECK; SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY MEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER YURI COLLINS STANDS NEXT TO BROADCASTER TOM ACKERMAN WHILE HOLDING THE CARL O. BAUER AWARD. BOTTOM ROW: BROADCASTER MIKE CLAIBORNE HOLDS THE BURNES/BROEG AWARD WITH OZZIE SMITH AND MISSOURI ATHLETIC CLUB PRESIDENT BRENT BEUMER; PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME COACH DICK VERMEIL RECEIVES THE BOB PLAGER LEGENDS AWARD FROM NFL GREAT ORLANDO PACE; MISSOURI ATHLETIC CLUB GENERAL MANAGER WALLY SMITH ENJOYS HIS LAST JACK BUCK SPORTS AWARDS BEFORE RETIRING IN 2023.
