Jim Kelley | |
---|---|
Born |
James Thomas Kelley, Jr. October 26, 1949 Buffalo, New York |
Died | November 30, 2010 Buffalo, New York |
(aged 61)
Occupation | journalist |
Years active | 1981–2010 |
Employer | The Buffalo News |
Awards | Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award (2004) |
James Thomas "Jim" Kelley, Jr. (October 26, 1949 – November 30, 2010) was a professional sports news columnist from South Buffalo. His 30-year career focused primarily on the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League, and the greater Buffalo area. He started covering the Sabres in 1981 for The Buffalo News, and also went on to cover the Stanley Cup Finals for 23 straight years. He pursued other media besides newspaper writing. He originated the weekly "Hockey Night in Buffalo", as well as "Sharpshooters" on WNSA with partner Mike Robitaille. From time to time he continued to contribute various hockey articles to ESPN.com and FOXSports.com. His experience and knowledge of hockey led The Hockey News to proclaim him in 2002–03 as one of the "100 People of Power and Influence in Hockey."
Kelley was a regular co-host on Prime Time Sports, a columnist for Sports Illustrated, and wrote a hockey column for Sportsnet.ca; he continued writing columns for Sportsnet up until his death, with his final column being published the day of his death.
Kelley was a three-time president of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. He also won the 1994–95 New York State Publisher's Award for Sports Writing Excellence, and was named one of the top five hockey writers in North America by ESPN. He was chosen as a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame Media Selection Committee, and a Staff Consultant to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. In 2004, Kelley earned one of hockey's highest honors, receiving the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award, and induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. One year later, he was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame.He will also be inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame on January 1, 2011