Los Angeles Times earns prestigious APSE grand slam honors for second consecutive year

The Los Angeles Times earned a grand slam and 14 of its journalists received top individual honors during the prestigious Associated Press Sports Editors competition.

The Times was the only publication in the largest circulation category to win the organization’s newly modified grand slam designation, placing in the top 10 nationally for its Sunday and daily print editions, website, multimedia project and writing categories. It is the second consecutive year The Times earned APSE’s grand slam honor, becoming the only outlet regardless of circulation size to achieve the feat.

“The grand slam is particularly rewarding because it is a team award that reflects a sustained, collaborative excellence. The work submitted has the fingerprints of every L.A. Times Sports staffer,” executive sports editor Christian Stone said.

Sam Farmer placed in the top 10 nationally in beat reporting for his portfolio that included an inside look at how the NFL executed its first pandemic altered season, Jeff Miller was among the top 10 in long features for his moving look at the life and death of former Hawaii star quarterback Colt Brennan and Ben Bolch was among the top 10 in short features for his unique look at Olympic beach volleyball partner swapping.

Bill Plaschke placed in the top 10 in column writing for the second consecutive year. Plaschke joined Jorge Castillo, Dylan Hernández, Steve Henson and Bill Shaikin honored for coverage of the Dodgers’ NLDS win over the Giants.

And Erik Himmelsbach-Weinstein, Mark Potts, Gustavo Arellano, Jessica C. Chen and Steve Saldivar were honored for the “Fernandomania @ 40″ docu-series.

Photography categories will be judged at a later date. The final rankings in the individual award categories also will be announced later this year.