Andrew Cohen, a legal analyst and journalist by day, rediscovered harness racing a couple of years ago and turned his critical eye on issues that he feels the industry should confront, and combining his passion for racing and his training as a lawyer, he offered the "Commissioner's Inaugural Address,” the winning entry for the 2007 John Hervey Award for news writing and commentary, it was announced by the U.S. Harness Writers Association.
“This series of three columns strikes the right ‘voice’ of a public speaker and is well-organized,” said veteran journalist Sherry Ross, who judged the category. “The writer does not ramble, but presents his arguments in a fairly concise manner, while maintaining a conversational tone that prevents the column from becoming overly dry and dull.
“Breaking up so many subjects into a series of three columns served the material well, and the writer quite obviously has a passion for the sport,” Ross noted.
Ross, currently a hockey broadcaster after 12 years with the New York Daily News, also awarded an honorable mention to Neil Milbert for his profile of Phil Langley in the June 26, 2007 edition of the Chicago Tribune.
Cohen’s entry was from his “Wire To Wire” column, which debuted 18 months ago on harnessracing.com, the website of The Horseman And Fair World magazine.
Harness horses were part of Cohen’s life while he was a youngster growing up in
Cohen serves as CBS News chief legal analyst and legal editor and as a columnist for washingtonpost.com.
“I am honored and thrilled,” said Cohen. “I write “Wire To Wire” but the hundreds of horsemen and horsewomen who write me with their comments and suggestions and ideas are responsible for it and for them I am truly grateful.”
Milbert traced the route that brought
“The writer maintains the interest and the energy of the story throughout, and the final paragraph is strong, as are all of the quotes used through a well-paced biography,” Ross said, in selecting the honorable mention.
Winners will be honored as part of the Night of Champions Awards Banquet at the Dover Downs Hotel in
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