| Basil O'Meara | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1892-06-05)June 5, 1892 Ontario, Canada |
| Died | October 25, 1971(1971-10-25) (aged 79) Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Occupation | journalist |
| Years active | 1910 – c. 1968 |
| Employer | Montreal Star |
| Awards | Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award (1984) |
Basil Edmund "Baz" O'Meara (June 5, 1892 – October 25, 1971), was a Canadian sports journalist. A columnist for the Montreal Star, he won the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award in 1984 and is a member of the media section of the Hockey Hall of Fame. In 1979, he was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
O'Meara began his career at the Ottawa Free Press in 1910. He was the sports editor of the Ottawa Journal during the 1920s, and mentored his successor Bill Westwick. He joined the Star in 1929 and retired at the age of 76 around 1968. Although controversy exists over this claim, he was widely credited with nicknaming Maurice Richard "Rocket".
O'Meara died on October 25, 1971 in a Montreal hospital at age 79. He had entered the facility roughly one week before, after suffering a heart attack, and never regained consciousness.
References
- "Basil O'Meara". Canadian Football Hall of Fame. cfhof.ca. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
- "Legends of Hockey - Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award Winners". hhof.com. Archived from the original on 8 February 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
- ^ Sports writer covered action for 50 years Meara, Baz O. The Globe and Mail (1936-Current); Oct 26, 1971; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Globe and Mail. pg. 37
- Campbell, Don (June 20, 1990). "Former Journal sports editor dead at 82". Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa, Ontario. p. 19.
- Lake, Stuart (August 30, 1973). "After 47 years, Bill Westwick writes his final 30". Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa, Ontario. p. 27.
- "Baz O'Meara Dies". The Montreal Gazette. October 26, 1971. p. 21. Retrieved February 16, 2024.