Hearn, Miller Take Honors

The Lakers were big winners at the Southern California Sports Broadcasters Assn.’s 10th awards luncheon Monday at Lakeside Golf Club in Toluca Lake.

Chick Hearn was named best in radio play-by-play, Stu Lantz won the honor in television commentary and owner Jerry Buss was presented a lifetime achievement award.

The Kings’ Bob Miller won for television play-by-play.

Vin Scully, who served as the master of ceremonies, was not eligible because he had won in this category for three consecutive years.

UCLA football reporter Matt Stevens of KXTA (1150) finished first in radio commentary and Irv Kaze of KRLA (870), formerly KIEV, won for the fifth time in the radio talk-show category.

The sports staffs of KFWB (980) and KCBS-TV were also cited.

Three new members of SCSBA Hall of Fame were inducted--Stu Nahan, the group’s president, Bob Starr and Bill Welsh. Starr and Welsh were inducted posthumously. Starr’s sons, Mark and Jim, flew in from St. Louis to accept their father’s honor.

The group’s “High Five” award went to Tim Leiweke, president of the Anschutz Sports Group and Staples Center, Tom Lasorda got the special achievement award for coaching the gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic baseball team and Times Sports Editor Bill Dwyre got the Clay Sanders “Good Guy” award.

Times columnist T.J. Simers, who presented Dwyre’s award, observed, “The only good thing Dwyre has done is hire me.”