Tammy Richardson Wins ‘Best Angler’ ESPY
Arkansas Angler Experiencing Banner Year; ESPN to Televise The 2006 ESPYS from Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre Sunday, July 16, 2006 at 9 p.m. ET
Celebration, Fla. – Tammy Richardson, winner of the season-opening Mercury Marine Women’s Bassmaster Tour presented by Triton Boats event, brought home another coveted title on Wednesday night – the ESPY for Best Angler. Richardson was at Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre for The 2006 ESPYS Co-presented by GMC and Under Armour. This is the first time an ESPY has been awarded in the Best Angler category, formerly Best Outdoors. The 14th annual industry-wide sports celebration hosted by Lance Armstrong will be televised on ESPN Sunday, July 16 at 9 p.m. ET.
ESPY winners were determined by fans voting online for the third-straight year and a record 12.1 million votes were tabulated. The last active BASS angler to win the award was Elite angler Kevin VanDam of Michigan in 2002.
It was just last year that Richardson and her husband Bobby saw their house burn to the ground due to an electrical problem. However, 2006 has been a comeback year for Richardson and her family.
“It has been such a great year,” said Richardson. “This experience has been so awesome and I don’t think I will ever get an opportunity like this again in my life.”
After her season-opening WBT win on Lake Neely Henry in April at Gadsden, Ala., Richardson finished in a respectable 11th at the second WBT event of the season on Lake Lewisville – placing the 34-year-old in second place on the Toyota Women’s Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings.
The top 12 in those standings will qualify for the 2007 Women’s Bassmaster Tour Championship in Alabama on Lake Mitchell Feb. 22-25.
Richardson – who works part-time as a nurse – faced stiff competition in the category whose nominees also included CITGO Bassmaster Elite Series pros Preston Clark of Florida, Greg Hackney of Louisiana and Ish Monroe of California.
Richardson will participate in the next women’s tour event at Lake Norman in Charlotte, N.C., on July 27-29.
“This means so much for all the women who fish competitively,” Richardson said. “I’m honored to receive this on their behalf and I can’t thank ESPN and BASS enough for advancing the sport to the level it is at now.”
The ESPYS gather top celebrities from sports and entertainment to commemorate the past year’s best sports stories by recognizing major achievements, reliving unforgettable moments and saluting the leading performers and performances.
BASS is the worldwide authority on bass fishing, sanctioning more than 20,000 events through the BASS Federation Nation annually. Guided by its mission to serve all fishing fans, BASS sets the standard for credibility, professionalism, sportsmanship and conservation, as it has for nearly 40 years.
BASS stages bass fishing tournaments for every skill level and culminates with the CITGO Bassmaster Classic. Through its clubs, youth programs, aquatic resource advocacy, magazine publishing and multimedia platforms, BASS offers the industry’s widest array of services and support to its nearly 550,000 members. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.
For more information, contact BASS/ESPN Outdoors Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit http://www.Bassmaster.com.
2006 ESPY AWARDS — WINNERS
All of the below except "special awards" were chosen by the fans, with over 12.1 million votes tabulated for The 2006 ESPYS.
SPECIAL AWARDS
ARTHUR ASHE COURAGE AWARD: Afghan Female Soccer Players
SPECIALESPY AWARD: John Ehret High School Basketball Team, Marrero, Louisiana
BEST IN SPORT
BEST TEAM: Pittsburgh Steelers
BEST MOMENT: Jason McElwain, Greece-Athena High School (NY)
BEST GAME: USC vs. Texas (Rose Bowl)
BEST MALE ATHLETE: Lance Armstrong, Cyclist
BEST FEMALE ATHLETE: Annika Sorenstam, Professional Golfer
BEST SPORTS MOVIE: Glory Road
BEST PLAY: Tyrone Prothro, Alabama Football
BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE: Chris Paul, New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets
BEST RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE: Shaun Alexander, Seattle Seahawks
BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE: Vince Young, Texas Football
BEST COACH/MANAGER: Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh Steelers
BEST COMEBACK: Tedy Bruschi, New England Patriots
BEST MALE ACTION SPORT ATHLETE: Shaun White, Snowboarder
BEST FEMALE ACTION SPORT ATHLETE: Hannah Teter, Snowboarder
BEST MALE COLLEGE ATHLETE: Reggie Bush, USC Football
BEST FEMALE COLLEGE ATHLETE: Cat Osterman, Texas Softball
BEST MALE ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY: Bobby Martin, Football Player
BEST FEMALE ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY: Sarah Reinertsen, Triathlete
BEST U.S. OLYMPIAN: Shaun White, Snowboarder
BEST INTERNATIONAL ATHLETE: Albert Pujols, Baseball Player
INDIVIDUAL
BEST BASEBALL PLAYER: Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
BEST NBA PLAYER: Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
BEST WNBA PLAYER: Sheryl Swoopes, Houston Comets
BEST NFL PLAYER: Shaun Alexander, Seattle Seahawks
BEST NHL PLAYER: Jaromir Jagr, New York Rangers
BEST ANGLER (FORMERLY BEST OUTDOORS): Tammy Richardson
BEST BOWLER: Walter Ray Williams Jr.
BEST BOXER: Oscar De La Hoya
BEST DRIVER: Tony Stewart
BEST GOLFER: Tiger Woods
BEST JOCKEY: Edgar Prado
BEST MLS PLAYER: Landon Donovan, Los Angeles Galaxy
BEST FOOTBALLER: Ronaldinho, Brazil
BEST MALE TENNIS PLAYER: Roger Federer
BEST FEMALE TENNIS PLAYER: Venus Williams
BEST FEMALE TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETE: Allyson Felix
BEST MALE TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETE: Justin Gatlin
SPONSORED AWARDS
GMC PROFESSIONAL GRADE PLAY AWARD: Doug Flutie, New England Patriots
UNDER ARMOUR UNDENIABLE PERFORMANCE AWARD: Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
