Prestigious Gold Key Dinner Postponed Once Again

SOUTHINGTON, CT — The Gold Key Dinner, a yearly extravaganza honoring great Connecticut athletes, coaches and sports personalities since 1940, has been re-scheduled for a fourth time due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The 79th Dinner, put on by the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance (CSWA), was originally slated for April 2020, but will now take place Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021 at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington. Gold Key recipients are:

• Cookie Bromage, field hockey coach at Enfield High School for 52 years and winner of five state championships;
• Joe Grippo, longtime girls volleyball and girls basketball coach at The Morgan School with 14 state championships;
• Lou Milardo, who compiled 552 career victories and four state titles in 31 years as softball coach at Hale-Ray High School;
• Ricky Shook, Danbury High School wrestling coach since 1999 with 17 Class LL and 15 State Open championships;
• Angela Tammaro, who compiled 1,637 career wins as field hockey, lacrosse and basketball coach at Greenwich Academy.

A number of other awards are presented during the event, including:

• President's Award - Claire Smith, Baseball Hall of Fame journalist
• Bill Lee Male Athlete of the Year (for 2019) - Alfonso Vazquez Villar, Windham High School soccer
• Hank O'Donnell Female Athlete of the Year (for 2019) - Jonquel Jones, Connecticut Sun
• Doc McInerney High School Coaches of the Year (for 2019) - Bobby Pattison, Newtown football; Kitty Palmer, Guilford field hockey and Daniel Hand girls tennis
• Bo Kolinsky Special Recognition - Elizabeth Fry, Westport world record swimmer
• Bob Casey Courage Award - Caden Gesualdi, Ellington High School ice hockey
• Hal Levy High School Achievement Award - Dave Johnson, retired South West Conference commissioner
• John Wentworth Good Sport Awards - Ben Aleks, Somers; Paul Duddy, Mystic; Steve Krevisky, Middletown; Bill O'Brien, Stratford; Bill Santillo, New Haven

CSWA President Tim Jensen of Patch Media said, "With the current limitations on indoor events, with only 100 people allowed, it was definitely the right decision to move it to the fall. Hopefully by then, the capacity will be raised closer to or exceeding the 300 or so attendees we annually get at the event."

Several honorees expressed similar disappointment about having to delay the ceremony again, but said they understand the wisdom of doing so.

"Been looking forward to this awesome award presentation for over a year now," Shook said. "All good things come to those who wait. In this case it is for the safety of everyone involved, so can't wait."

Grippo said, "As disappointed as I am at the postponement, the health and wellbeing of recipients and guests is of the utmost importance. Many people have had to make concessions due to the virus that are far greater than this."

"It is a wise idea to move it to the fall," Bromage said. "Everything seems to be on the upswing, with more openings daily."

Duddy said, "I am certainly anxious to have the dinner and to be recognized for my contributions to Coast Guard Academy athletics. My biggest concern at this time is the health and safety of my friends and family and all the other recipients and their guests. I understand and support the decision to wait for better conditions later in the year."

"The Bo Kolinsky Special Recognition Award is a very special award and I feel honored to be named as the recipient," Fry said. "I am in awe with and very grateful for the commitment demonstrated by the Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance to reschedule the 79th Gold Key Dinner for the fourth time due to COVID-19 state guidelines, in order that the recipients can be honored and celebrated with their family and friends in attendance."

Ticket information may be obtained by contacting Jensen at tim.jensen@patch.com.