Tom Williams To Be Honored for 50 Years of Sportswriting

Tom Williams has spent half a century telling the story of Ocean City and South Jersey sports.

Like all great journalists, the 68-year-old sportswriter and broadcaster knew never to be the story. That changes today (Saturday, Jan. 28).

Williams, who writes for the Ocean City Gazette, will be honored for his 50
years of service from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the .

"I think the biggest thing with Tom is that it never seems to be a job
for him," said Gazette Sports Editor Brian Cunniff, who first met Williams
in the mid 1990s and has been working with him for more than a decade.
"It's a love that he has had. Obviously, he is very interested in sports,
and he loves it at a community and high school level. I think he really enjoys making an impact at this level with his coverage, which is very good."

Williams has spent the past 50 years behind his notepad, tape recorder and
microphone, placing area high school students in the spotlight, while staying in the background.

That's the way Williams prefers it. The only reason Williams agreed to be
honored was that the proceeds of the event will benefit the Edythe T. Selvagn Memorial Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships for high school students. Tickets are $50 at the door.

"Until they mentioned that it would make a significant contribution to
the scholarship fund, I probably wouldn't be interested," Williams said.
"It's nice to think that people want to do that, but it's a nice and awkward
feeling. Being the center of attention like that, I basically stay away from it.
You don't want to be the story."

"I'm sure Tom looks as this not so much as an event to honor him, but
a great chance to see people he knows and people he covered and deal with them in a different setting,” Cunniff said. “I think that’s what he enjoys about this the most. When they will be talking about Tom Williams that's when he will be uncomfortable."

Williams, who played baseball and basketball at Ocean City High School and
graduated in 1962, is comfortable writing and being behind the microphone.

The long-time reporter got into the business after submitting game
summaries from local youth games he coached as a teenager.

Taking advice from a neighbor, who worked for a local paper, he began
writing stories about the football team and was published right away. Soon he started working in broadcasting and became the voice of Red Raiders football and basketball.

Williams was a finalist for the New Jersey 2011 Sportscaster of the Year by
The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. It is the third
straight year Williams has been nominated, and the 24th overall. He has won the award seven previous times.

"I look back and I'm proud of some of things I have done over the
years," Williams said. “It doesn't seem like a half-century. I'm still
remembering things that happened in the early (1960s)."

Williams is the ultimate authority on Ocean City and Cape-Atlantic League
sports, because he shared in so much of the history, seemingly always in
attendance for the biggest moments in local history. Williams also runs several basketball tournaments in the area.

He remembers fondly the state championship runs of the Ocean City football, basketball and baseball teams. His record-keeping is meticulous, especially for Ocean City High School, but also for the entire Cape-Atlantic League.

"He is a great asset to Ocean City High School and the City of Ocean
City," former Ocean City Athletic Director Paul Lefever said. "He was
absolutely great. He would do anything to help us and then some. I can't say enough nice things about the man. He does a great job."

"No matter what the sport, win or loss, regular season or playoffs, local
kids couldn't wait to read what Williams wrote."

"Kids love to read about their success and sometimes sadly their
failures," Lefever said. "Tom was always strove and treated players
fairly. He never did anything to hurt players. He was always positive with
kids. He always had time to talk to the kids, people of the city and
myself."

Williams is on his 51st year on the job and has no plans to retire any time
soon, which is a relief to many athletes, coaches and fans in South Jersey.

"There is a certain feeling of accomplishment," Williams said.
"I have a feeling of gratitude because I had the best seat in the house in
most cases and I get paid to be there.”