2021 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 72
BY SENATOR BERNARD
A RESOLUTION
To commend and congratulate Sheldon Mickles on being selected for the 2021
Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism and on being named to the 2021
Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches, Louisiana, each year
collaborates with the Louisiana Sports Writers Association in selecting a limited number of
sports figures who embody the character, skill, and talent worthy of being named to the hall
of fame; and
WHEREAS, the Distinguished Service Award is the most prestigious honor offered
to sports media in the state and recipients are carefully chosen after an extensive deliberation
by a thirty-member expert panel based on their professional accomplishments in local, state,
regional, and national arenas; and
WHEREAS, Sheldon Mickles is a recipient of the 2021 Distinguished Service Award
in Sports Journalism and a member of the 2021 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction
Class; and
WHEREAS, he is a Gretna native and a graduate of Archbishop Shaw High School
and Louisiana State University; and
WHEREAS, Sheldon Mickles spent over four decades covering a variety of south
Louisiana sports for two Baton Rouge papers -- the old afternoon State-Times (1978-91) and
The Advocate (1991-present); and
WHEREAS, he started his career covering high schools and LSU track, then moved
on to Southern University football and basketball before settling in as the Saints beat writer
for thirty seasons from 1984-2013; and
WHEREAS, during his time on the Saints beat, he was in the press box for five
hundred forty preseason, regular season, and postseason games, including the team's run to
the Super Bowl XLIV title, as well as seventeen other Super Bowls; and
Page 1 of 2 SR NO. 72 ENROLLED
WHEREAS, he also covered the LSU track teams for the past forty-two seasons and
currently is in his second stint as the LSU mens basketball beat writer as well as being part
of The Advocate's football coverage team; and
WHEREAS, he also covered LSU gymnastics, womens basketball, baseball, and
softball events, as well as the New Orleans PGA Tour event for the past thirty-one years; and
WHEREAS, Sheldon Mickles is the recipient and winner of numerous state, regional,
and national writing awards, including a two-time LSWA Class I Columnist of the Year, the
Louisiana-Mississippi AP Managing Editors (APME) Columnist of the Year in 2012, and
the 1998 Mac Russo Award winner; and
WHEREAS, he served as president of the LSWA (1988-90) following stints as
secretary and vice president and has been a Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame committee
member since 1983, serving as the nominating chairman since 2009; and
WHEREAS, his longtime involvement with, and stewardship of, the LSWA writing
contest, teaming with Glenn Quebedeaux, has been a bedrock for the organization; and
WHEREAS, he was the 2019 recipient of the Track and Field Writers of America's
Cordner Nelson Memorial Award for lifetime achievement and writing excellence and he
is a voter for the Heisman and Biletnikoff awards and the AP college basketball poll; and
WHEREAS, Sheldon Mickles' iconic career has rightly earned him the 2021
Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism and a place among the many greats in the
Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby commend and congratulate Sheldon Mickles for receiving the 2021
Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism and for being named to the 2021
Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
Sheldon Mickles.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
Page 2 of 2