Newsday’s Neil Best named NY State sportswriter of year

Newsday’s Neil Best was named New York State sportswriter of the year by the National Sports Media Association on Tuesday.

This is Best’s first time winning the award.

“Thank you to the National Sports Media Association not only for recognizing my work, but for honoring a member of Newsday’s sports department for the third time in seven years,” Best said. “I’m finally halfway to Bob Glauber’s career total!”

Glauber, Newsday’s NFL columnist, was named New York State sportswriter of the year by the National Sports Media Association in 2011 and 2015.

Best started at Newsday in 1982, left for a short time and returned in 1985. He currently writes about a variety of sports and related topics, with an emphasis on media and business. In 2017, Best did extensive reporting on Mike Francesa’s final year at WFAN, and former WFAN personality Craig Carton’s arrest on federal charges of securities fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy.

“I can’t say enough about Neil’s work,” Newsday sports editor Hank Winnicki said. “He’s a terrific writer and reporter and is so well respected throughout the business. He truly deserves this honor.”

Bruce Beck of WNBC-TV was named New York State sportscaster of the year.

Kevin Harlan, the voice of the NFL and college basketball on CBS, the NBA on Turner Sports and Monday Night Football on Westwood One, was named national sportscaster of the year. NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski, who left Yahoo! Sports in July and moved to ESPN, was named national sportswriter of the year.

The National Sports Media Association also announced on Tuesday that Thomas Boswell, Woody Durham, Bryant Gumbel and Dick Weiss will be inducted into the National Sports Media Association Hall of Fame in June.