(Edited Thoroughbred Racing Association release)
Eric Single will enter the freshman class at Vanderbilt University as the 2009 recipient of the Fred Russell-Grantland Rice TRA Scholarship for sports writing, it was announced by the Thoroughbred Racing Associations June 23.
Single, who graduated this spring from George Walton Comprehensive High School in Marietta, Ga., is the 51st winner of the scholarship instituted by the TRA in 1956. He was one of 72 applicants for this year’s stipend, which covers full tuition at Vanderbilt for four years.
Named in honor of two legendary sports writing alumni of Vanderbilt, the scholarship has an extraordinary record of producing prominent and successful writers and television personalities, including Roy Blount Jr., Bill Livingston, Skip Bayless, John (Joe Bob Briggs) Bloom, David Shenin, Tyler Kepner, Lee Jenkins, and Daniel Wolken. The last-named, who won in 1997, served as a summer intern at The Blood-Horse. The 1984 winner, Chuck Manson, also worked for The Blood-Horse.
While at Vanderbilt, Single plans to explore various academic paths, including English, economics, and history, while also participating in intramural and club sports. His dream is to follow his interest in sport journalism into a career with ESPN.
The scholarship winners, selected by a panel chaired by Oaklawn Park president Charles J. Cella, have distinguished themselves not just in sports writing and broadcasting, but in other fields as well.
The 4-year scholarship is co-sponsored by Vanderbilt University and the TRA and is awarded to an outstanding high school senior with special interest and potential in the field of sports writing. The TRA represents 49 member racing associations conducting Thoroughbred racing at 42 racetracks in North America.
Fred Russell-Grantland Rice
TRA Sports Writing Scholarship Winners:
Year Recipient
1956 Charles D. Nord
1957 Thomas E. Templin
1958 Larry G. Daughtrey
1959 Roy Blount Jr.
1960 Saxon Kim Chapin
1961 Thomas D. Quinn
1962 Robert E. Theil
1963 Richard S. Osborne
1964 Leonard Goldstein
1965 Michael Kiernan
1966 William Livingston
1967 Barry M. Morris
1968 Dennis P. McAuliffe
1969 David R. Rapp
1970 Skip Bayless
1971 John I. Bloom
1972 Irving Muchnik
1973 Kevin E. Cuneo
1974 Kevin McDonald
1975 David Brooks
1976 Michael L. Jackson
1977 Edward O. Wilson
1978 Charles C. Euchner
1979 Kenneth C. Ray
1980 Zachary V. Wenger
1980 Andrew Byer
1981 Charles R. Bush
1982 Mike Cornwell
1983 Tena Bozicevic Herlihy
1984 Thomas J. Wilson
1984 Chuck Manson
1985 Paul J. Richman
1986 Michael Holmes
1987 David Sheinin
1988 Andrew Maraniss
1989 Mitchell Light
1990 Clay Hensley
1991 Matthew O’Keefe
1992 Andrew M. Derr
1993 Tyler Kepner
1994 Allan L. Owen
1995 Lee Jenkins
1996 Not Awarded
1997 Daniel J. Wolken
1998 Samuel H. Heide
1999 Jeffrey D. Lowe
2000 Matthew James Mee
2001 Robert Craig Murray III
2002 Byron Patrick Dubow
2003 Matthew Collins McDavid
2004 Christopher F. Callaway
2005 Not Awarded
2006 Not Awarded
2007 David A. Namm
2008 Meghan Rose
2009 Eric Single
