At least seven masters track or running champions are among the 30 finalists for the inaugural GeezerJock of the Year award, sponsored by Michelob ULTRA. A press release says: “The award recognizes supreme achievement in Masters athletics, which is defined as organized athletics for men and women over 40 years of age.” The fall issue of GeezerJock magazine will no doubt give more details on the 30 finalists — chosen mainly by GJ editor and founder Sean Callahan of Chicago. But the magazine is inviting a public vote as well — and nomination of write-in candidates. So this contest seems pretty fluid. It also lacks specificity on something important — the winner’s prize.

But first: Highlights of the official press release:
Thirty Nominees Vie for Honor Recognizing the World’s Best Masters Athlete
CHICAGO, Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ — In its fall issue, GeezerJock, the first
Masters sports and fitness magazine to cover competitive athletics for people
40-and-over, will unveil the 30 finalists vying for the GeezerJock of the Year
award, sponsored by Michelob ULTRA. The award recognizes supreme
achievement in Masters athletics, which is defined as organized athletics
for men and women over 40 years of age.
The 30 finalists from across the United States and Canada include several
grandmothers, including one who discovered late in life that she has what it
takes to be a cycling champion and another who is a weight lifter at age 70.
Other finalists include a 62-year-old Los Angeles County lifeguard who is a
remarkable distance swimmer; a 70-year-old ultra-distance runner who
completed a 100-mile race in Vermont; a 73-year-old marathoner who has
broken the magical three-hour barrier, and a 54-year-old sprinter and former Olympian.
In addition to honoring the best overall Masters athlete, the GeezerJock
of the Year award program will also recognize 10 age-group winners — a male
and female in each of five age categories: 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79 and 80-
plus.
“GeezerJock is dedicated to capturing the stories of athletes over 40
participating in competitive sports around the globe,” said Bill Ferguson,
GeezerJock’s vice president of sales. “The GeezerJock of the Year award
spotlights the most accomplished of these athletes — those who inspire all of
us over the age of 40 who care about fitness and competition.”
The public can vote for the most deserving athletes at the GeezerJock Web
site, http://www.geezerjock.com , from October 1 through October 31, 2005.
Voting is not limited to the 30 nominees — write-in candidates are accepted.
Visitors can nominate themselves or someone they know. The winners will be
announced in the December issue.
The GeezerJock of the Year finalists (with some trackos boldfaced) are:
MEN 40-49 WOMEN 40-49
James Chinn, San Marcos, Calif. Oneithea Lewis, Bayside, N.Y.
Kevin Flynn, Rochester, N.Y. Bonnie Macrae-Kilb, Calgary, Alb.
Sam Renshaw, Kingsley, Mich. Lisa Schlenker, Lake Oswego, Ore.
MEN 50-59 WOMEN 50-59
Bill Collins,Houston, Texas Mary Bennett, Lawrenceville, N.J.
Mac Martin, State College, Pa. Harriet Hall, Anchorage, Alaska
Bruce Meade, Bradenton, Fla. Linda Musante, Tampa, Fla.
MEN 60-69 WOMEN 60-69
Don Ardell, St. Petersburg, Fla. Carolyn Boak, The Woodlands, Texas
Larry Raffaelli, Oxnard, Calif. Jacqueline Tennant, Gaithersburg, Va.
Robert Smith, Vancouver, B.C. Haze Thompson, Tres Pinos, Calif.
MEN 70-79 WOMEN 70-79
Frank Bartholow, Mansfield, Ohio Marietta Boswell, Damascus, Md.
Ojars Stikis, Englewood, N.J. Irene Camp, Tucson, Ariz.
Ed Whitlock, Milton, Ont. Elsie Dahl, Montpelier, Vt.
MEN 80-PLUS WOMEN 80-PLUS
Trent Lane, Baker, La. Glafyra Ennis, Florence, Mass.
Frank Piemme, Lompoc, Calif. Lois Nochman, Huntington Woods, Mich.
Milt Silverstein, Johnnye Valien, Los Angeles, Calif.
Fredericksburg, Va.
About GeezerJock Magazine
GeezerJock is the first Masters sports and fitness magazine to cover
competitive athletics for people 40 and over and to inspire everyone in that
age group to stay fit and compete in sports at any level. Today, more than
7.2 million Americans 40 years of age and over compete in athletic events.
GeezerJock also offers training tips in the areas of nutrition, vitamins and
supplements, gear and sports medicine. For more information, visit
http://www.geezerjock.com .
Me again:
Actually, Geezerjock is NOT the first magazine to attempt to cover the broad range of older-age sports. Buried in my files somewhere are several issues of the late, unlamented Masters Sports magazine from the 1980s, I think — which carried no photos and didn’t last more than a year. The claim also gives short shrift to National Masters News and other single-sport masters publications.
The only thing the press release doesn’t say is what the frig will the GJ of the Year WIN? A year’s supply of Michelob ULTRA? A nicely framed certificate?
For this award to REALLY mean something — beyond a nice clipping for a scrapbook — tangible value must be bestowed. Money talks, BS walks.
For this award to have the prestige of a Nobel or Pulitzer, let it carry significant dollar signs. (BTW, a Nobel is worth $1.3 million, and the Pulitzers grant as much as $10,000 per winner.)
Michelob ULTRA — actually a low-carb lager in the stable of Anheuser-Busch — isn’t in that prize-making league, of course, but it has a duty to cut a check and not just piggyback our niche for self-promotional, good-feeling purposes.
Anheuser-Busch sold 116 million barrels of beer in 2004. The company had gross sales that year of $17.16 billion with net income (profit) of $2.24 billion.
So A-B can afford to back up the GJOTY award.
Bottom line: Don’t just show us the love. Show us the money!