April 26: Gordon Edes to Speak and Present the 21st Annual Frank Deford Award

WILLIAMSTOWN, MA – Over the last four decades Gordon Edes has worked for some of the nation’s most prominent sports entities covering baseball, basketball, football and ice hockey. Currently Edes is the Red Sox reporter for ESPNBoston and is seen in the left most photo; Aaron Pinsky ’06 is on the right.

The event is being held in the Brooks-Rogers Recital Hall on the Williams campus and it is free and open to the public. After his talk, Edes will take questions from the audience.

Edes’ career began at the Chicago Tribune in 1972. Later he moved to the Los Angeles Times, Atlanta Journal Constitution, National Sports Journal, Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, Boston Globe, Yahoo! Sports.

While at the National Sports Journal Edes worked under the direction of Frank Deford on the first national sports daily publication in America.

This special evening will be further highlighted by the first presentation of the Aaron Pinsky '06 Sports Broadcasting Award to the top student sports broadcaster(s) at Williams. The Pinsky Award is being presented to the top student sports broadcaster(s) at Williams College in memory of Aaron Pinsky ‘06 a former standout Eph student broadcaster.

A complete history of the Frank Deford Award is here. 

Aaron Pinsky Broadcasting Award

Aaron Pinsky graduated from Williams in 2006 with a major in mathematics. Pinsky was known throughout the Williams community as the play-by-play broadcaster for football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball. For three years, he delighted Eph fans, alums, and families across the country with his smooth voice, sharp analysis, and patented “Pinsky Points,” awarded to players for displaying unusual hustle or heart during a game. Pinsky travelled down to Virginia with the rest of the radio crew for the 2004 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, where he called the national championship game.

Aaron Pinsky had a personality that people gravitated toward. He was known for his unique sense of humor and general affability.  He always looked for a reason to laugh and have a good time with his friends and family. Beyond his involvement with Sports Information, he was the ideal Williams renaissance man: he was a beloved JA, he served on the Record editorial board as both an executive and sports editor, and he played French horn in the Symphonic Winds and other local orchestras.

Sadly, in February 2010 Aaron lost a two-year battle with brain cancer. Until the end, he remained dedicated to those around him. Andres Schabelman ’06 recalled, “I can’t imagine anyone else handling what was coming with such integrity and relative degree of positivity.” Aaron’s fiancée, Ellie Schmidt ‘06, added, “He remained the joyous, witty, loving and genuine person that he was throughout and despite his illness.” Aaron touched countless lives within and beyond the Purple Valley. He leaves a legacy of dedication to and love for family, friends, and the Williams community.

Beginning in April 2010 the Aaron Pinsky '06 Sports Broadcasting Award is being presented annually to the top Williams Student Sports Information Assistant for excellence in sports broadcast journalism.

The Pinsky Broadcasting Award was conceived and created by Aaron’s Eph friends Michael Needham ’04 and Zack Ulman ’06.