Sportswriters banquet will salute Villanova, Lindros, Ali

Villanova's NCAA champion men's basketball team, a former two-time heavyweight boxing champion who will salute the late Muhammad Ali, and a bruising Flyers center who revolutionized the game will be the headliners at the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association's 113th annual banquet Friday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cherry Hill.

The dinner starts at 6:30 p.m.

Villanova coach Jay Wright and two of his standouts, Kris Jenkins and Josh Hart, will accept the Team of the Year award for the Wildcats' dramatic run to the NCAA championship last season.

Jenkins' buzzer-beating, three-point shot gave Villanova an epic 77-74 win over North Carolina in the title game.

Tim Witherspoon, the South Philadelphia native who is one of only three boxers to win multiple world heavyweight titles, will recall his days as Ali's sparring partner and pay tribute to perhaps the most charismatic athlete in history. Ali died June 3 at age 74.

Former Flyers great Eric Lindros, who went into Hockey's Hall of Fame in November, will be honored with the Living Legend award.

The Flyers, who are celebrating their 50th anniversary, will have a strong presence. Shayne Gostisbehere will receive the Philadelphia Pro Athlete of the year honor and several Flyers captains will be saluted, including Hall of Famer Bill Barber, Lou Angotti, and Dave Poulin. Angotti, the first captain in Flyers history, and Barber will sign free autographs after the event, as will Eagles defensive end Marcus Smith.

The Flyers Wives Fight for Lives organization will receive the Ed Snider Lifetime Humanitarian award. Lindy Snider, the daughter of the late Flyers owner, will present the award.

Other winners: WBA super-featherweight champion Jason Sosa, a South Jersey native who attended Sterling High, will receive the Native Son award; Scott Franzke and Larry Andersen, the radio voices of the Phillies, will accept the Bill Campbell Broadcast award; and The Inquirer's Jeff McLane will be honored with the Stan Hochman award for the year's best story.

Oliver Chamberlain will accept a special achievement award on behalf of his late uncle, Wilt Chamberlain, who led the 76ers to a 68-13 record and the NBA title 50 years ago.

St. Joseph's men's basketball coach Phil Martelli will accept the Good Guy award, and Villanova's former track and field and cross-country coach, Hall of Famer Marty Stern, will receive a special-achievement award. Villanova track and cross-country standout Patrick Tiernan will be honored as most outstanding amateur athlete.

Claire Smith, a former Inquirer columnist who was the first African American female newspaper reporter to cover Major League Baseball on a daily basis, will receive a special achievement award. She won the J.G. Taylor Spink Award and will be honored at Hall of Fame weekend in Cooperstown, N.Y., in July.

In addition, special achievement awards will be presented to former Villanova football coach Andy Talley and to the ArenaBowl champion Philadelphia Soul.

The PSWA's signature event will be the naming of the Most Courageous winner.

Tickets are available at www.phillysportswriters.com, or by calling 267-546-7277.