St. Louis writers dinner to feature Smith, Costas

Vera Clemente, Cardinals players among other honorees

December 19th, 2018

ST. LOUIS -- Bob Costas and Lee Smith, two of the National Baseball Hall of Fame's newest honorees, will be feted at the 61st annual St. Louis Baseball Writers' Dinner, which will also feature a special presentation honoring Vera Clemente.
The dinner, held annually to raise money for scholarships and a journalism internship, is scheduled for Jan. 20 at the Curio Hotel at Union Station in downtown St. Louis. The event falls during the Cardinals' Winter Warm-Up weekend, and tickets are on sale now at StLouisBBWAA.com. They range in price from $150-$250.
The St. Louis chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America will present an array of awards that evening to celebrate rookies, legends and key contributors to the sport.
The Red Schoendienst Medal for "invaluable service to the game of baseball" will be presented to Costas in honor of his more than four decades in sports broadcasting. Costas, whose broadcasting roots trace back to his time at KMOX radio in St. Louis, received the Ford C. Frick Award from baseball's Hall of Fame last summer.

Smith, who will be enshrined in Cooperstown, N.Y., next year after being elected in by the Today's Game Era Committee, will also be feted at the event.
Clemente, the wife of the late Roberto Clemente, will be on hand not only to present with the 2018 Roberto Clemente Award but also to receive recognition as this year's Branch Rickey Award winner. Clemente and Rachel Robinson will be co-recipients of this award, which was created to honor innovation in the game of baseball.
and Matt Carpenter will be honored as the J.G. Taylor Spink St. Louis Baseball Men of the Year, while , , and will be recognized with the Herman/Ostermeier Award for their standout rookie seasons.
Mike Shildt, Keith Hernandez, Ozzie Smith, , Stubby Clapp, and Kyle McClellan will be among the night's other honorees.
The St. Louis BBWAA chapter has also invited new first baseman to receive his 2018 Silver Slugger Award at the event.
Prior to the dinner program, guests will be able to participate in a silent auction, as well as learn more about the chapter's partnership with Be The Match, an organization that helps blood cancer patients find matching stem cell donors.