By Ken Bediako
Let’s give three cheers to the Sportswriters Association of Ghana (SWAG) for their remarkable achievement of marking the 50th anniversary of the famous annual SWAG awards ceremony next week Saturday November 15.
The late SWAG patron Zac Bentum also former GFA President gave this advice to blow your own horn at times to avoid others blowing discordant notes.
With this advice by the hugely affable football administrator please permit me to blow my horn small by disclosing my credentials as founding SWAG member in 1968 and also one of the “three wise men” that mooted the SWAG awards concept at an informal meeting at the 1972 Olympics in Munich. In fact, the originator was that devoted sports enthusiast Mr B. B. Bismarck, one time team manager of the Black Stars and later Chief of Aburi and Adontenhene of Akuapem. It was an informal meeting with Eugene Thompson then SWAG Secretary and yours truly over cold German Beer at the Games Village.
Bismarck suggested SWAG could start the awards ceremony on a small scale with only two football awards the top scorer in the national league and the best defender. In fact he bought two shields for the purpose.
The idea was fully embraced by the entire membership of the SWAG when we told our story on our return home from Munich.
Peter Lamptey of Accra Hearts of Oak won the goal king award and Akuetteh Armah of Kumasi Cornerstone was adjudged best defender.
The first dinner dance awards was held at Ambassador Hotel in Accra in 1974. Unfortunately. It was a near fiasco. Strictly by invitation, nearly half of the dignitaries expected with their partners did not show up.
Embarrassed SWAG officials had to quickly go round the hotel precincts to invite people to occupy the many empty dinner seats.
This was really a baptism of fire that taught us how to organize such national functions.
When the forward looking management of Kumasi Brewery decided to sponsor the event really became the topmost annual sporting event, how time flies. When the Awards night held its silver jubilee in 1994 at the plush Labadi Beach Hotel little did some of us believe the Golden Anniversary could come so soon.
On this note let’s refresh our memories with then SWAG President Joe Aggrey’s address on the 25th anniversary. There is also the bonus of the list of awardees that night of 4th March 1994.
THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS
“When 25 years ago the Sportswriters Association of Ghana (SWAG) was born little did the founding fathers know that it will grow up to become what it is today.
Like every human institution the SWAG has had its ups and downs. But the important thing is that today this body of sportswriters of this dear land of ours is still alive and kicking.
That it has survived up till now is due to the dedication of members to the cause and to a very large extent to the support and patronage the SWAG as an organisation has received from people in both high and low places and the corporate World.
Indeed the history of SWAG will never be complete without the big mention of the role played by one company Kumasi Brewery Limited. For 16 long years the brewers of Star and Gulder Beer and Maltina drinks stood by the SWAG to help nurture it into respectabiliy and adulthood with its unbroken sponsorship.
Sadly, this great relationship is now broken on the silver jubilee anniversary of the SWAG. Were it in our hands to review it we would but if it must stay broken then in all sincerity we of the SWAG can only express our deepest appreciation to KBL for the good times we have known.
Our consolation is that the 25th Annual Awards Dinner Dance is taking place thanks principally to the intervention and support of Lifebuoy a product of Lever Bros Ghana Ltd, Milo from Nestle Ltd and Labadi Beach Hotel. As we meet today to wine and dine we cannot forget the invaluable contributions made by our Patrons past and present. We are grateful to all of them and hope that we will continue to be inspired and encouraged by their wise counsel and guidance.
We take this opportunity to congratulate the 33 sportsmen and sportswomen and institutions because of whom we are all gathered here today.
Like always this is our humble contribution to Ghana sports and we hope you will enjoy yourself and make this night a memorable one.”
Now the awardees.
- Sportsman- Abedi Pele & Anthony Yeboah
- Topmost Football Team-Black Satellites
3 Joint coaches football-Osam Duodu & Isaac Paha
4.Top footballer -Dan Addo
- Most promising Football star -Emmanuel Duah
- Football Prospect – Joseph Fameye
- Top Defender Football-Osei Kwadwo
- Juvenile Top
Footballer-George Yamoah
- Top League Club-Kumasi Asante Kotoko
- Goal King Football Augustine Arhinful (Goldfields )
11.Top scoring club (Obuasi Goldfields)
12.Womens Top Footballer Elizabeth Baidoo
- Professional boxing–Ike Quartey
- Amateur Boxing-Moro Tijani
- Athlete-Emmanuel Tuffuor
- Hockey star-Robert Mensah (CEPS)
- Volleyball -Clement Gbekley (Police)
18.Tennis star-Frank Ofori
- Cyclist-Joe Sackey
- Handball star-Joseph Quaye
- Badminton Nketia Kyei
- Basketball star- Patrick Gyan (CEPS)
- Golf (Pro) Amos Korblah
- Golf (Amateur) J.Koffi
- Basketball Discovery
14-year-old Veronica Kasreku (Capt CYO club)
- Dedication and Valour- Emmanuel Quarshie (Sekondi Hasaacas)
- Sponsors of the year-Milo
- Boxing Promoters of the year- River Park Promotions.
- Sports oriented Institution –
Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS)
30.Special Award- Ibrahim Hassan- gold medallist 1993 World University Games USA.”
I hope you detected the multiple awards in the football department. No wonder. The game was developing at a terrific pace at all stages at the time.
Cheers everybody and keep loving sports.
