Times Reporters, Columnist Honored

Times sportswriter Ross Newhan and business-news writer Sallie Hoffmeister combined for first place in news reporting, and sports columnist Bill Plaschke continued his strong showing in the annual national Associated Press Sports Editors’ contest.

In final results of the large-paper news-writing section of the contest, announced Tuesday, Newhan and Hoffmeister took top prize for their story Sept. 27 on the likelihood that the Fox Group had a partner in John Malone and Liberty Media Corp. in the purchase of the Dodgers, a development that some sources said stalled the eventual closing of the sale of the Dodgers to Rupert Murdoch and his Fox Group.

Plaschke, a frequent finalist who had first, second and fifth-place finishes two years ago in the APSE contest, had a similar showing this year. He was second in column-writing--behind perennial winner Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free Press--fifth in feature writing and was on The Times’ fourth-place team of reporters in investigative reporting.

Others on the investigative team were Lisa Dillman, Mike Hiserman and Steve Springer.

Section winners were announced last month, and The Times was one of three large papers, along with the Dallas Morning News and Washington Post, accorded top 10 honors in daily, Sunday and special section categories.