Mickey Charles Award to honor FCS student-athlete

Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) – Academics and athletics have long been represented through the winners of the FCS Awards.

On Tuesday, The Sports Network announced the establishment of the Mickey Charles Award as a further step toward bringing both entities together by honoring the academic excellence of an FCS student-athlete.

The inaugural recipient of the Mickey Charles Award will be feted Monday night at The Sports Network FCS Awards Banquet and Presentation along with the winners of the Walter Payton Award (FCS outstanding player), Buck Buchanan Award (FCS outstanding defensive player), Jerry Rice Award (FCS freshman of the Year) and Eddie Robinson Award (FCS coach of the year).

“He is, for as long as anyone can remember, and by his own admission, ‘A boy from The Bronx with pinstripes on my backside.’ Over the years, while his persona, stature and global presence grew, he always said that was who he was and he never changed much,” said Phil Sokol, director of operations at The Sports Network.

“By adding The Mickey Charles Award,” said Craig Haley, FCS executive director for TSN, “we have achieved a new dimension and have added academics to athletic talents with the former being the primary determining factor in selecting a recipient.”

Charles was an outstanding student in New York schools, with a level of learning and IQ that put him in what was then the ‘SP’ (Special Progress) classes. He captained his high school basketball team to a championship Borough game and graduated at the age of 15.

He attended Columbia University for two years and played basketball, but as he tells it, the experience was “too big for me.” He then opted for a smaller school, Kalamazoo College in Michigan, on a par with the Ivy League scholastically, and he captained the basketball team once again, this time to a conference (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association) championship, while he received his B.A. degree. He then went to Brooklyn Law School, where he didn’t have a team to captain other than legal debating.

Charles’ background includes a wide range of interests, accomplishments and realizations, among which are newspaper syndication, hosting a national sports talk show for CBS, another on ESPN, being a feature editor discussing and writing about a myriad of topics running the gamut from telecommunications to travel, responding to requests as panelist, moderator and chairperson at seminars, conventions, trade shows and conferences … and still being president and CEO of Computer Information Network, Inc., known within the industry and world-wide as The Sports Network.

As Sokol tells it, “He has been referred to, justifiably so, as a legend, icon, standard for the industry, none of which is inappropriate and has had a storied career that is well-deserved. He will be honored at the Awards he has created with a legacy of his own this year.”

Charles is also a consultant to major corporations domestically and internationally and was asked to speak and present before the Presidential- appointed National Gambling Impact Study Commission due to his expertise in this area.

Charles is a pioneer in the audiotex industry since pre-divestiture, when he formed Communications Team, Inc., a sports telecommunications group focused on telephonic-delivered information that eventually evolved into The Sports Network, an international real-time sports wire service with customers throughout North America, Asia and Europe.

Turning to one of his recreational favorites, he has been president of the Middle Atlantic Blind Golfers Association, assisted annually for many years with golf tournaments for the benefit of United Way and St. Jude’s and was a Professor of English and Marketing at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.

What They Are Saying About the Mickey Charles Award

“Mickey Charles is one of our sports-crazed nation’s most astute experts. But he is much, much more than that – he is an incredibly caring person who has done so much to help so many.” – Ed Rendell, Former Pennsylvania Governor and Philadelphia Mayor

“The National Hockey League congratulates Mickey Charles on the creation of an award that will bear his name and will honor an FCS student’s successful combination of athletic achievement and academic excellence. A disruptor long before that term became trendy, Mickey is a scholar when it comes to sports business and a life-long friend of innovation. Mickey has a personality as big as the sports world and a heart that’s even bigger; it is a delight to see him recognized for decades of entrepreneurship, his devotion to education and his relentlessly positive approach to life.” – Gary Bettman, NHL Commissioner

“Mickey is a true gentleman, and the success of The Sports Network for these many years has been a credit to his vision, hard work and commitment. I am proud to call Mickey a friend and a colleague.” – Ron Jaworski, Former NFL Quarterback and Current NFL TV Analyst

“A great deal of credit is owed to Mickey Charles for having the foresight to establish the FCS Awards through The Sports Network, which afforded small colleges opportunities to expose their outstanding and talented football players and coaches to a larger network. Buck would have been proud to know that his accomplishment has been kept alive through The Sports Network in order to help others. The new academic award is a natural progression of the awards.” – Georgia Buchanan, Presenter of the Buck Buchanan Award

“The Sports Network has been the leader in honoring deserving FCS student- athletes, and it’s exciting to see that recognition go beyond the playing field with the Mickey Charles Award for academic achievement. Student-athletes from FCS teams continue to graduate at outstanding rates and perform just as well in the classroom and community as they do on Saturdays, and the award will provide exposure for that hard work and dedication.” – Carolyn Femovich, Patriot League Executive Director

“The MGM family has known Mickey and his lovely wife, Roz, for over 30 years. We are all very excited to hear of his recognition for a lifetime of work and can only define him as a ‘class act.'” – Bill Hornbuckle, President, MGM Resorts International

“With the knowledge of the award being given, Karl and I would like to say Mickey Charles should also get an MVP award – that’s how important he is to sports!” – Sally Jesse Raphael, TV/Radio Personality

“You don’t get to choose your family, but I really lucked out with the most amazing grandpa, teacher and role model out there. I look up to you and not just because you’re tall, but because you’re wise and the most intelligent man I know. I am so proud to call you my grandpa and have you in such a big part of my life. I’m sure I can say this on behalf of everyone who has ever met you, thank you for being one of the most amazing people in my life that I can count on for anything.” – Marissa Sable, one of Mickey’s granddaughters

Categorized in: NCAA Football