Legendary area broadcaster, writer Tom Williams still going strong

By JOHN LEON Correspondent For his efforts as a contributor, and his contributions are many, Tom Williams was selected for induction into the Carino South Jersey Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011. In 2012, he was honored for 50 years of writing. For those of you who don’t know him, and there aren’t many who don’t, Williams is a writer, broadcaster, webmaster, basketball and football aficionado, and fan of high school sports. Mention his name to any coach or official in South Jersey and you likely will get a smile and a respect reserved for the chosen few. There are not many who do not know who he is, and if you have been to any basketball or football games during your lifetime, he has made his mark on this area like only a few others. A die-hard Yankees fan, Williams can be seen in his familiar cap with the interlocking NY logo on it, usually in various colors. Williams has been covering Ocean City High School and Cape-Atlantic League sports for more than 50 years, starting when he was a teenager. “I was born in Philadelphia and lived in Upper Darby, Pa., but moved to Ocean City when I was 10,” Williams said. “I played freshman and JV basketball, and baseball until I hurt my arm. I had relatives that owned ‘The Chatterbox’ restaurant and grew up here.” Tom Williams got his start in the media business as a teenager in Ocean City, and has been working his craft for 50 years. (Submitted photo) He started writing when he was coaching a 7th- and 8th-grade basketball team in Ocean City and sent the box scores and articles to the Sentinel-Ledger to be printed. “I started coaching when I was about 16 or so,” said Williams. “There wasn’t a team for the younger kids before they got to Ocean City High School, so I got the Chatterbox to sponsor them. I sent the game stories to the Sentinel and that’s where it started.” In 1961, when Williams was just 17, an opening came up at the Sentinel-Ledger and someone told Tom he should apply for the job as sports writer. That began a stint covering games for the Sentinel-Ledger, and along the way he did public address announcing for Ocean City football before eventually doing games on the radio at WSLT/WIBG when he was 20. He also broadcast games on WOND with local legend Tom Lamaine, and now his resume is about as impressive as any you will find. He has won 15 awards from the Press Club of Atlantic City for his writing; he has been named New Jersey’s Sportscaster of the Year eight times, most recently in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2013. He is among more than 110 sportscasters and sportswriters selected across the country as tops in their state by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NSSA). “I’m honored that they think enough of my work to select me,” said Williams. “There are numerous writers here in South Jersey that have been recognized such as Dave Weinberg of the Press of Atlantic City (a three-time winner) and Brian Cunniff, who became the first writer from a weekly newspaper (Catamaran Media) to win in 2009. I think being inducted into the South Jersey Hall of Fame is a great award, and when your name appears just below (former University of Maryland coach) Gary Williams who won an NCAA national title, it’s even more humbling. ” He was presented the 2003 award for contributions to amateur football in South Jersey by the National Football Hall of Fame and was recognized by the IAABO for his contributions to high school basketball. He is a veteran of more than 1,500 football, basketball and baseball play-by-play broadcasts. Williams’ columns have been most regularly seen in the Ocean City Gazette, Upper Township Gazette and the Sentinel-Ledger. His stories also have appeared in The Wildwood Leader, The Currents of Atlantic County and the Philadelphia Inquirer. His columns have made readers think about the past, present and future of youth sports and activities. He founded Prime Events in 1985 to produce major high school basketball showcases, a number of websites and, for more than 30 years, anchored nationwide radio coverage of the Miss America Pageant. In addition to all of this, Williams served as director and producer of the Miss Cape May County Pageant and managed a group of performers called “The Young Entertainers” who performed in seven states. He was the emcee of the pageant and thought there was a lot of talent going to waste once the event was over. “I thought, with all of this talent around, why should we do this just once or twice a year?” he said. However, what makes Williams stand out from the rest of us mere mortals who attempt to write for a living is his humble nature. Tom is always calm, never utters a disparaging word and keeps his sense of humor about him. You can hear the passion in his voice when he calls a game and sees a great play. He can pull a statistic or record from his vast memory bank at a moment’s notice. Ask any local coach, fan, athlete or friend about his year-end “Christmas Wish” column and you will understand the tongue-in-cheek nature of this man. “When you look at the dedication of what sports is all about, the kids, that’s where Tom’s resume speaks for itself,” said Mainland Regional High School Athletic Director Mike Gatley. “One of the most difficult aspects of any athletic administrator’s job is preserving the memories of past teams, players, accomplishments, etc. I have called Tom on many occasions and he always has the answer.” “Tom is much more than a writer,” said Wildwood Catholic girls basketball coach Steve DiPatri. “He helped transform Cape-Atlantic League basketball from regional to state-level prominence. He organizes and promotes games for our league’s top teams on girls and boys sides, versus non-league powers from across the region.” It’s hard to imagine being alive in this era without having Williams’ expertise and memory to help guide us though the high school sports seasons in the Cape-Atlantic League, comparing different players, coaches and teams. His wealth of knowledge is a reference for us all, and through it all he has maintained his ability to entertain and inform us. There are record books that cannot hold a candle to his knowledge. “Tom has always been a proponent of high schools sports,” said Atlantic City High School Athletic Director Frank Campo. “He has been the link between the public and athletic directors keeping them both abreast of athletes’ performances, teams’ performances, controversial issues, and legislation of the Cape Atlantic League and New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. His passion for being a sports journalist is obvious.” Asked when he would get tired of the writing and broadcasting and maybe retire, Williams said simply, “There’s always something new coming up, whether it be teams, players, whatever. Are there times I wish I wasn’t sitting in 20-degree weather broadcasting and sitting somewhere warmer? Sure, but that’s the beauty of it. There’s always something new coming up.” When asked to give an interview regarding this article, Williams joked, “I don’t think my story is that exciting and it may be pretty boring.” Not hardly.