Smith Barrier
Encyclopedia
Smith Barrier was an American
sports journalist
. He was the longtime Executive Sports Editor of Greensboro News & Record
and served as president of United States Basketball Writers Association
from 1970 - 1971. He is a charter member of the United States Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame. In 1999, Barrier was awarded the Basketball Hall of Fame
's Curt Gowdy Media Award
for outstanding contributions in electronic and print media.
Barrier, who became the Daily News sports editor in 1944, graduated from the University of North Carolina
. His account of UCLA's Lew Alcindor in the 1967 UCLA-Dayton game in the 1967 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
earned him a spot in the book "Best Sports Stories 1970".
Writing about UCLA's national champion basketball teams under John Wooden
, he said, "Mister John Wooden has a watch factory out in Los Angeles. It's a bit different from most Swiss works. They don't make watches, they win 'em."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sports journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. He was the longtime Executive Sports Editor of Greensboro News & Record
Greensboro News & Record
The News & Record is the largest newspaper serving Guilford County and the surrounding region. It is based in Greensboro, NC, and produces local sections for Greensboro and Rockingham County, NC. As of April, 2011, it had an average weekday circulation of 60,993 and an average Sunday circulation...
and served as president of United States Basketball Writers Association
United States Basketball Writers Association
The United States Basketball Writers Association was founded in 1956 by Walter Byers and serves the interests of journalists who cover college basketball.-Scholarships:...
from 1970 - 1971. He is a charter member of the United States Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame. In 1999, Barrier was awarded the Basketball Hall of Fame
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
's Curt Gowdy Media Award
Curt Gowdy Media Award
The Curt Gowdy Media Award is an annual award given by the Basketball Hall of Fame to outstanding basketball writers and broadcasters. It is named for American sportscaster Curt Gowdy, who was the Hall of Fame's president for seven years...
for outstanding contributions in electronic and print media.
Barrier, who became the Daily News sports editor in 1944, graduated from the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
. His account of UCLA's Lew Alcindor in the 1967 UCLA-Dayton game in the 1967 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
1967 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1967 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 23 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 11, 1967, and ended with the championship game on March 25 in Louisville, Kentucky...
earned him a spot in the book "Best Sports Stories 1970".
Writing about UCLA's national champion basketball teams under John Wooden
John Wooden
John Robert Wooden was an American basketball player and coach. Nicknamed the "Wizard of Westwood", he won ten NCAA national championships in a 12-year period — seven in a row — as head coach at UCLA, an unprecedented feat. Within this period, his teams won a record 88 consecutive games...
, he said, "Mister John Wooden has a watch factory out in Los Angeles. It's a bit different from most Swiss works. They don't make watches, they win 'em."