Thom Loverro, of the Washington Times, named D.C.’s top sportswriter

His colleagues know a good thing when they see one. Washington Times sports columnist Thom Loverro has been named District of Columbia Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, a membership organization consisting of 1,100 leading sportscasters and sportswriters from across the nation.

Loverro’s column appears twice a week in The Times and is treasured by readers for its insight, historic perspective and compelling narrative. In recent days, he has pondered the Redskins’ latest “savior,” the intricacies of the baseball Hall of Fame and the challenges of hockey in an outdoor setting among many diverse topics.

“Thom is one of the country’s premier sports writers whose insights hit home every day with fans and whose enthusiasm for the sports is downright contagious,” said John Solomon, the Times’ editor and vice president for content. “His columns have an uncanny knack of tying together facts, stats and analysis that can extract an idea deep in your sports brain and bring it to the forefront of the conversation at your dinner table, the sports bar stool or the anchor’s desk at ESPN. He also is a dogged reporter who can break big stories, like his expose on what the FBI knew about the mob’s involvement in fixing the famous Ali-Liston fight a half century ago.”

“We are thrilled he was chosen by NSSA as the D.C. Sports Writer of the Year, keeping that honor inside the Times for a second straight year,” Solomon added.

Former Times sports editor Mike Harris won the same honor last year and former Times sports reporter Brian McNally won it the year before.

“It’s always a tremendous honor to be recognized for your work in the business of journalism. I am also thankful to The Washington Times for the opportunity to do good work,” Loverro said.

A veteran newsman who entered the journalism field in 1977, he is the author of 11 books, including, “Hail Victory: an Oral History of The Washington Redskins” and “The Encyclopedia of Negro League Baseball.” He also co-hosts a sports talk radio show on ESPN 980 radio in Washington called “The Sports Fix.”

Loverro will be lauded by the organization at annual awards banquet in June, along with Hall of Fame honorees Bill Raftery, the late Dick Schaap, Hal McCoy and Lesley Visser — along with over 100 state sportscasters and sportswriters of the year from 48 states.