Cheshire Resident, Retired MLB Umpire Named 2023 Gold Key Honoree

CHESHIRE, CT — A Waterbury native and current Cheshire resident who reached the top of his profession in baseball has been selected to receive one of the state's oldest and most prestigious sports honors.

Terry Tata, a Major League Baseball umpire for 27 years who drew many top-level assignments, will receive the Gold Key Award from the Connecticut Sports Media Alliance (CSMA) at the 81st annual Gold Key Dinner on Sunday, Oct. 22 at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington.

Tata became the youngest umpire in professional baseball when he debuted in the minor leagues at age 19. He got the call to the big leagues in 1973 and stayed through 1999, working four World Series, seven National League Championship Series, four division series and three All-Star Games.

He participated in five no-hitters, including home plate for gems by Hall of Famers Phil Niekro in 1973 and Tom Seaver in 1978. He received the Major League Umpire of the Year Award in 1991, and is a member of the Hank O’Donnell Hall of Fame in Waterbury

Other Gold Key honorees are longtime Darien High School volleyball coach Laurie LaRusso, Norwich Free Academy coach/athletic director Gary Makowicki, former Olympian and distance running record-holder Jan Merrill-Morin and North Branford High School field hockey coach Babby Nuhn.

With two exceptions, the Gold Key Dinner has been an annual event since its inception in 1940. Among the Connecticut sports legends recognized in past years are Gordie Howe, Willie Pep, Floyd Little, Geno Auriemma, Calvin Murphy, Kristine Lilly, Julius Boros, Connie Mack, Gene Sarazen, Ron Francis, Dwight Freeney, Terry Lowe, Bill Rodgers, Brian Leetch, Rebecca Lobo, Bobby Valentine and Joan Joyce.

Award winners in other categories will be announced later this spring. They include the President's Award, the Doc McInerney High School Coaches of the Year, the Bill Lee Male Athlete of the Year, the Hank O'Donnell Female Athlete of the Year, the Bo Kolinsky Special Recognition Award, the Bob Casey Courage Award, the Hal Levy High School Achievement Award and the John Wentworth Good Sport Awards.

Tickets for the Gold Key Dinner are $75, and are available by contacting CSMA president Tim Jensen of Patch Media Corp. at 860-394-5091 or tim.jensen@patch.com. Proceeds support the Bo Kolinsky Memorial Sports Media Scholarship, a $3,000 annual award named in memory of the noted high school sports editor of the Hartford Courant and past CSMA president, who passed away in 2003 at age 49.