Dave Fay
{{Short description|American sports journalist}}
{{distinguish|David Fay}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Dave Fay
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1940|03|05}}
| birth_place = Brighton, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2007|07|17|1940|03|05}}
| death_place = Monrovia, Maryland, U.S.
| nationality =
| other_names =
| occupation = Journalist
| education =
| years_active =
| spouse = Mary (died)
Patricia (married)
| children = 4
| known_for =
| awards = Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award
| notable_works =
}}
David G. Fay Sr. (March 5, 1940 – July 17, 2007) was an American sports journalist. He was posthumously awarded the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award in 2007 after dying of cancer. Prior to his death, Fay worked for The Washington Times covering the Washington Capitals and Washington Redskins. In his honor, a charity hockey game was formed to raise funds for Hockey Fights Cancer and the Capitals media dedicated an award in his name.
Early life
Fay was born on March 5, 1940, to parents Leo and Mary Fay and one brother. After graduating from public school, Fay served in the United States Navy before beginning his journalism career after being honorably discharged.{{cite web |title=David Fay Sr. |url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/fredericknewspost/obituary.aspx?n=david-fay&pid=168463705&fhid=18393 |website=legacy.com |accessdate=April 3, 2019}}
Career
In 1961, Warren Times-Mirror hired Fay as a journalist. While working for the Mirror, Fay toured Canada, the Soviet Union, and other parts of Europe. From there, he worked for various newspapers before joining The Washington Times as an assistant sports editor in 1982.{{cite web |title=Dave Fay, Washington Times sports writer, dies at 67 |url=http://www.espn.com/espn/wire/_/section/nhl/id/2941169 |website=ESPN.com |accessdate=April 3, 2019 |location=Washington |date=July 18, 2007}}{{cite news |last1=Heller |first1=Dick |title=Honored Times sportswriter Dave Fay dies |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/jul/18/honored-times-sportswriter-dave-fay-dies/ |accessdate=April 3, 2019 |work=The Washington Times |date=July 18, 2007}} However, Fay shortly thereafter began working as the Capitals beat reporter due to a lack of interest from other journalists. Until his death, Fay covered the Capitals for the Times in all but two years.
He was named a life member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association and the Professional Football Writers Association. In May 2007, the Hockey Hall of Fame announced that Fay was the winner of the 2007 Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award,{{cite news |title=Hockey Hall to honour Hewitt |url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/2007/05/29/hockey_hall_to_honour_hewitt.html |accessdate=April 3, 2019 |publisher=The Toronto Star |date=May 29, 2007}} however, he died of cancer before being able to receive the award.{{cite web |title=Honoured hockey writer Fay dies |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/honoured-hockey-writer-fay-dies-1.648114 |website=cbc.ca |accessdate=April 3, 2019 |date=July 18, 2007}}
Personal life
After his first wife, Mary, died, Fay remarried to Patricia Delaney Fay. At the time of his death, Fay had four sons. In October of the season following his death, the Washington Capitals announced they had donated $10,000 to charity in his honor.{{cite news |last1=Fendrich |first1=Howard |title=Canucks Top Capitals to End Losing Skid |publisher=Associated Press Newswires |date=October 27, 2007|quote=During the first period, the Capitals honored longtime Washington Times hockey writer Dave Fay, who died of cancer in July, and announced the team's $10,000 donation to charity in his honor.}}
In his honor, Rob Keaton and Gavin Toner began a charity hockey game to raise funds for Hockey Fights Cancer.{{cite web |last1=Gordon |first1=Chris |title=The 4th Annual Dave Fay Memorial Hockey Fights Cancer Game |url=https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2011/07/24/the-4th-annual-dave-fay-memorial-hockey-fights-cancer-game/ |website=russianmachineneverbreaks.com |accessdate=April 3, 2019 |date=July 24, 2011}}{{cite news |last1=Schad |first1=Tom |title=Charity game to honor Times' late hockey writer, Dave Fay |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jul/21/charity-game-to-honor-late-hockey-writer/ |accessdate=April 3, 2019 |work=The Washington Times |date=July 21, 2011}}
Starting in the 2015–16 season, the Washington Capitals media awarded the Dave Fay Award for a player who best cooperates with the media. The first award was given to Karl Alzner.{{cite web |title=2016–17 Media Guide |url=https://nhl.bamcontent.com/images/assets/binary/282149628/binary-file/file.pdf |website=NHL.com |accessdate=April 3, 2019 |page=36 |quote=Was the recipient of the inaugural Dave Fay Award for cooperation with the media}}{{cite tweet|user=CapitalsPR|number=718478140339851264|date=April 8, 2016|title=The #Caps media presented @KarlAlzner with the inaugural Dave Fay Award today after practice.}} In the same year, the Capitals honored Fay in their Washington Capitals Media Wall of Fame.{{cite web |last1=Sorensen |first1=Jon |title=Capitals Honor Media Legends through Media Wall of Fame |url=https://novacapsfans.com/2016/02/17/capitals-honor-media-legends-through-media-wall-of-fame/ |website=novacapsfans.com |accessdate=April 3, 2019 |date=February 17, 2016}}
References
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Category:Deaths from cancer in Maryland
Category:Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award recipients
Category:The Washington Times people
Category:American male non-fiction writers
Category:20th-century American non-fiction writers
Category:American sports journalists