The Colonel Al Byrne Award recognizes local individuals who share the late Colonel’s belief that all youth should be provided the facilities and adult leadership to experience athletic training and competitive individual and/or team sports. They also believe, as the Colonel did, that those youth that participate will learn skills and obtain values that will help them succeed in their later life endeavors. The award recipient has also demonstrated a commitment to these beliefs by sharing his or her time, talents and, in many cases, personal resources with no recognition required or desired. The award is voted on by the past presidents of the association and is a tightly held secret until the winner is revealed the night of the annual All Sports Association Awards Dinner each February.
Please submit nominations to: Rube Manasco (phone 850-420-7624), Col. Al Byrne Award Chairman, reubman@cox.net, or mail to: All Sports Association, P.O. Box 2591, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32549
The All Sports Association was started by Colonel Al Byrne, who believed the youth in Northwest Florida should have the coaching, leadership, and facilities needed to participate in sports. The Colonel Al Byrne Award was established to honor those who share his beliefs and who put those beliefs into action.
The Colonel Al Byrne Award was presented to Edwin Watts on February 25, 2022, at the 53rd All Sports Association Awards Program. Watts is a life-long resident of our area. As a young golf professional, Watts donated his time to provide free golf clinics to encourage juniors to get involved in the game. These clinics were a predecessor to today’s “First Tee” program. This tradition of free clinics hosted by Watts or his staff continued for more than 30 years.
Watts also offered free group clinics to wives of military personnel. This was especially significant during the Vietnam War, providing a much needed distraction from the stress of family separations.
Watts sponsored numerous youth basketball, baseball, and soccer teams, often providing financial support anonymously. Watts would say that God had blessed him financially, and he wanted to do all he could to help young people. Watts was the founder of the Jaycees Junior Golf Tournament, which became the Marvin Debolt / Northwest Florida Daily News Classic, the premier junior tournament in our area.
Now retired from the golf business, Watts and his band, “The Mulligans,” play for area charity events, supporting such groups as Fisher House and Fresh Start for Women and Families. For his 50 years of devotion to youth athletics and to our community, All Sports Association is pleased to recognize Edwin Watts as recipient of the 2022 Al Byrne Award.
2019 George Goodall
2018 Ray Chavez
2017 Todd Gatlin
2016 Sherman Moon
2015 John Watts
2014 Brian and Kathy Haugen
2013 Bill Shirah
2012 Rev. James T. Ross
2011 Ralph Duncan
2010 Fred Carley
2009 Bob Lynn
2008 Tom Brassell, Don Pattison
2007 Rube Manasco
2006 Sam Brunson
2005 Paul Martin
2004 James C. “Jimmy” Campbell
2003 Mary Jane Ross
2002 Huburt “Rocky” Bates
2001 Bull Cochran
2000 James Campbell
1999 Bruce Ravan
1998 Charles Morgan, John Shortall
1997 Judge Alfred Ben Gordon, Jr., Kathleen A Ravan
1996 Ralph Frangioni
1995 Al Beedie
1994 Hiram Cook
1993 Leven Lord
1992 Bill Roberts, Jr., Pud Hutcheson, Robert Taylor
1991 Ray Deal, George Palmer
1990 Buddy O’Neal, H.A. Bruner, Jay Farris, Arthur Mikel
1989 Julius Rice, M.L. Hayden
1988 Michael Woodham
1987 Louis Woodham, H.P. Pat Campbell, Bill Preston, Sr., Gene Thomas
1986 Grady Smith
1985 Dr. Eddie Zant
1984 Ron Balicki
1983 O.R. Bailey
1982 Joe Etheridge
1981 Houston Harrison
1980 Jerry Brigante
1979 Rev. Talmadge Smith
1978 Buddy Elliott
1977 Dr. Jerry Hollingsworth
1976 Bettye Campbell
1975 Hal Wyatt
1974 Buck Smith
Through the efforts of our annual banquet & summer golf tournament, we help fund numerous worthwhile sports organizations & charitable causes. Our primary beneficiaries are the Boys & Girls Club of the Emerald Coast, Special Olympics Florida- Okaloosa, Eleanor J. Johnson Youth Center and Okaloosa Walton FCA.
