BDN’s Larry Mahoney named Maine’s Sportswriter of the Year

By Sam Canfield, Bangor Daily News Staff

Bangor Daily News sports reporter Larry Mahoney has won the National Sports Media Association’s Maine Sportswriter of the Year Award — for the sixth time.

Mahoney, who also won the award in 1981, 1982, 2000, 2003 and 2005, has served readers of the BDN for more than half a century, beginning his career while a freshman at the University of Maine 51 years ago.

“It’s special to be chosen by your peers like this, it really is,” Mahoney said. “I’m just somebody that worked a job that became an enjoyable career. I’m really fortunate.”

Starting out as a Bangor Daily News clerk answering call-ins and writing recaps of local high school sporting events, Mahoney became a full-time staff writer after college, and has remained with the BDN since.

The 69-year-old Mahoney has also served as the radio color commentator for University of Maine hockey games for close to 20 years, most recently alongside play-by-play sportscaster Jon Shields. Shields won the NSMA’s Maine Sportscaster of the Year Award on Tuesday.

“You meet so many wonderful people — just really good human beings — in this job, you really do,” Mahoney said. “I look forward to coming into work every day. The people you’re covering are usually very helpful, and I’ve been blessed to work alongside some terrific writers. It’s a close-knit community.”

Born in California, Mahoney was raised in a sports minded family alongside five younger siblings. His father’s career in the Air Force led the Mahoneys to Bangor from the United Kingdom when Larry was in ninth grade, and Larry would go on to graduate from Bangor High as a captain of the Rams varsity football and baseball teams.

Larry also met his wife, Sally, at Bangor High, and they would begin dating after graduation. Larry and Sally have been married for 43 years, and have two sons, Mike, 43, and Andrew, 39.

Mahoney’s equal love for his family, Bangor and sports media has kept him with the BDN all these years, and he says he has no plans to retire anytime soon.

“Every day — every game — is a new adventure. Just when you think you’ve seen everything, you never quite know what will happen. That’s what keeps it fresh,” Mahoney said. “It’s not easy, but it’s never dull. This job has kept me young.”