Sportscaster Morry Mannies, the "Voice of the Cardinals," established the Morry E. Mannies Sportscasting Scholarship with a $28,000 gift from him and his family as a way to give back to Ball State University.
"After my wife passed away four years ago I established several scholarships in her name through Ball State in various departments," Mannies said. "So it only seemed logical for me to set up a scholarship in my name in the telecommunications department."
The scholarship will be offered to junior and senior telecommunications majors with an interest in sportscasting. Preference will be given to a student with sportscasting experience and the student's academic achievement will be considered in the selection process.
The Morry E. Mannies scholarship is awarded each May. The first winner senior Shane Wilkinson received $1,000.
"I have a lot of respect for Morry Mannies," Joe Misiewicz, chairperson of the Telecommunications Department said. "So for a student to get this scholarship is pretty cool."
Mannies, a Ball State alumnus, began his broadcasting career at the age of 15 in Peru, Ind. During his freshman year at Ball State, he was hired by the Muncie radio station WLBC and has been the "Voice of the Cardinals" since then.
For 51 years, and with no plans of retiring, Mannies has been the sports announcer for Ball State football and basketball games, he said.
In addition to Ball State broadcasts, he has announced high school basketball and football games and 51 consecutive Indiana High School State Basketball finals.
During his broadcasting career he has received several awards, including being named the Indiana Sportscaster of the Year in 1985, 1989 and 1992. He's been selected three times as Mid-American Conference Sportscaster of the Year.
Mannies was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002 and he received the Meridian Insurance Silver Medallion Award for his contributions to Indiana basketball.
Mannies earned his bachelor's degree in speech and English in 1960 and a master's degree in speech education in 1964. He also completed three additional years toward his Ph.D in Speech Education at Purdue University.
He taught speech and English at Muncie Central High School from 1960 to 1968, and then was an assistant professor of speech and director of speech education at Ball State from 1968 to 1975.
Mannies received the Beneficence Award from Ball State in 1981. In 1986 Morry became a Life Member of the Million Dollar Round Table.
In 1996 Mannies received the Indiana Journalism Award from Ball State's Department of Journalism. Mannies was named a Sagamore of the Wabash for the State of Indiana by Governor Evan Bayh in 1989.
He has also been active in civic and community activities having served on many boards. He has served as president of the Board of Directors of the Muncie YMCA, the Indiana Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, and co-chairman of the Ball State University Cardinal Varsity Fund Drive.
"I'm very pleased to be able to provide this scholarship to a student with the same interests as me," Mannies said. "I like to help them achieve their goal."
Availability of the Morry E. Mannies Sportscaster Scholarship fund is dependent upon an award selection process established by Ball State and its academic departments. For specifics about this scholarship, contact the telecommunications department at (765) 285-1480.
For more information about other scholarships available at Ball State, contact the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid at (765) 285-5600 or visit bsu.edu/finaid.
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