The Chapman Award is considered by many in
the industry as the highest honor in racing public relations. It is named in
memory of Chapman, the legendary PR executive and innovator, who worked with
Babe Ruth and was named Indy Car racing’s “most influential man” of the 1980s.
Chapman died in 1996 at age 80.
The announcement and presentation were made at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway by Michael Knight, chairman of the selection committee, and one of Chapman’s closest friends. The award is determined by a vote of national media members, most of who knew Chapman, and is authorized by the Chapman family. PR representatives from all forms of motorsports are eligible for consideration.
"The respect Andy has earned with journalists covering many different racing series over many years makes him a very deserving recipient of an award named for Mr. Chapman," said Knight.
“Jim set the ultimate standard of
professionalism, class and dignity. He knew that solid professional
relationships with journalists was important in good times and absolutely
essential in bad times.
"That’s too often missing today in a
communications age where an E-mail or text message or over-reliance on social
media is incorrectly considered ‘relationship-building.’ Jim was a true ‘people
person’ and knew nothing could replace a handshake, a face-to-face
conversation, or the sound of another person’s voice.”
The Chapman Award has three major
purposes: 1. To honor Chapman's unmatched legacy; 2. To recognize current PR practitioners who work to Chapman's standard and in his spirit;
3. To provide inspiration for newer and future PR representatives.
Hall, a graduate of James Madison
University, joined ESPN’s communications department in September 2006, just
prior to the network’s return to live NASCAR race coverage that ran from
2007-2014. He was part of a team that received several prestigious
communications industry awards for the network’s NASCAR launch campaign. In
addition to NASCAR, Hall also has worked on PR for ESPN and ABC’s IndyCar series
coverage, which continues today, and its current IHRA and former NHRA drag
racing coverage.
After two years as a newspaper
sportswriter in Virginia, Hall began his motorsports PR career in 1982 as a
NASCAR PR assistant, first on the then-entitled Busch Series and national short
track program. He was named director in 1994. In 1998, he joined the Indy
Racing League, focusing on marketing and administration. He returned to PR in
late 2000 and spent part of five seasons as head of communications for the
former American Le Mans Series. From 2005 until he joined ESPN, he did contract
PR work for clients including ESPN, BASS and Dodge. In addition to his work
with ESPN’s motorsports coverage, Hall also works with SportsCenter, Outside
the Lines, E:60 and ESPN news platforms and handles PR for the network’s
golf coverage.
The permanent Jim Chapman Award, currently
displayed in the IMS media center, features a classic photo of Jim wearing his
favorite navy blue double-breasted blazer and the names of all the award
recipients. The text under Jim’s photo reads:
“James P. Chapman (1916-1996). A great man who deeply cared about country and church; family and friends. A legend in the public relations industry who set the ultimate standard of professionalism and excellence. A superstar who superstars like Babe Ruth wanted at their side. A pioneer in motorsports PR who practically invented most of what is now considered routine. A true 'People Person' who knew a mutually-respectful relationship with journalists was important in good times and essential in bad times. A mentor kind enough to help others achieve success. A gentleman who understood nothing could replace the sound of the human voice, a handshake, a face-to-face meeting, a shared meal, a hand-written note of thanks.
“All who ever have, do, or will work in
public relations stand on Mr. Chapman's shoulders.
“The true honor of the Jim Chapman Award
is not a plaque. The true honor is having one's name forever associated with
that of the great James P. Chapman. A committee of journalists adjudged those
named here worthy of this high honor.”
Established in 1991 by media and
publicists within the CART series, the Chapman Award originally focused on
achievement in CART. After a hiatus of several years, the award was resumed in
2004, with eligibility expanded to anyone working in racing PR.
Chapman, who was born in Macon, Georgia, started as sports editor or managing editor of several Southern newspapers before joining the New York Times. He entered the PR business in 1946, as regional PR director for Ford Motor Co. in Detroit.
Soon thereafter, Chapman hired Ruth as consultant to the automaker’s sponsorship of American Legion Junior Baseball. They traveled together for more than two years for personal appearances and became close friends. Chapman was at Ruth’s bedside when he died in August 1948 and then officially announced Ruth’s death to the press corps that had maintained an around-the-clock vigil at New York’s Memorial Hospital.
Chapman kept with him a money clip with a pockmarked silver dollar that Ruth used to carry during games for good luck. Chapman said Ruth had used the coin for target practice. He proudly showcased several photos of Ruth in his office. One was inscribed: "To a pal that is a pal." Chapman also displayed a framed letter, written on Ruth's personal stationery from Memorial Hospital, dated July 13, 1948, inviting him to the July 26 premier of the film, The Babe Ruth Story. That letter read, in part, "That evening would not be complete without your being my guest. To you, Jimmy, I say you must be with me that evening."
In 1950, Chapman left Ford to start his
own PR firm. One of his first clients was Avis founder Warren Avis. Chapman
devoted much of his time to financial PR, which he once called his “favorite
form of PR,” and helped companies get recognition among analysts and even gain
admission to the New York and American stock exchanges.
Chapman’s first venture into motorsports
was in 1951, when he joined with NASCAR founder Bill France to promote the
Motor City 250. The race was part of Detroit’s 250th birthday
celebration, a Chapman client. In 1967, Chapman entered Indy Car racing with
client Ozzie Olson’s Olsonite sponsorship of Dan Gurney’s team, which later
featured Bobby Unser as driver.
“Jim was one of the most innovative and
imaginative PR men ever to grace a pit lane,” said Gurney. “Jim practically
invented most of what is now considered routine sponsor PR work. He was the
first, as far as I know, who thought of putting up a sponsor hospitality tent
alongside a racetrack (at the old Riverside International Raceway), filling it
with extravagant race car ice-sculptures, beautiful food and beautiful people
from the business, sports and movie industries. He started an ‘open house’
tradition in Ozzie’s hotel suite in Indianapolis, where journalists could rub
shoulders with John Wayne or (astronaut) Scott Carpenter.”
Chapman also directed Olsonite’s
sponsorship of the Driver of the Year award. He orchestrated all the details,
including the media panel voting, and an annual luncheon at New York City’s
famed ‘21’ Club. That gathering was considered so prestigious it was routinely
attended by leaders of all the major U.S. sanctioning organizations regardless
of what series the Driver of the Year competed in.
Chapman’s greatest professional acclaim
came from 1981-1992, as director of CART series sponsor PPG Industries’
program. Chapman was instrumental in raising PPG’s prize fund from $250,000 to
more than $3.75 million at the time of his retirement in February 1993. The
all-female PPG Pace Car Driving Team was another Chapman innovation, as were
the PPG Editors’ Days, when he brought business and feature writers to the
tracks for lunch, pace car rides, and driver interviews.
In 1982,
Chapman negotiated a landmark sponsorship for PPG with then- Indianapolis Motor
Speedway President Joe Cloutier, which formally made the Indy 500 a
points-paying event in the PPG Indy Car World Series, an arrangement that
continued through the 1995 season. “That was one of the most satisfying moments
of my career,” Chapman recalled. “Roger Penske, among others, told me it was
the best thing that had ever happened to CART.” In addition to a major
contribution to the prize fund, PPG later became sponsor of the $100,000 Indy
500 pole award, and paid a special winner’s bonus in the early years of
NASCAR’s Brickyard 400.
In its
obituary, the New York Times wrote
that Chapman "served as a father confessor to many top racing
drivers." Two-time Indy 500 winner and PPG Cup champion Al Unser Jr. said
on behalf of his fellow drivers, "With Jim, when he says ‘jump,’ we just
ask ‘how high? And we do it right then.”
Indy
Car Racing magazine named Chapman the sport’s “most influential” man of the
1980s, saying he turned “a public relations assignment into an art form.” After
his retirement, Chapman continued to consult PPG, and agreed to Mario
Andretti’s personal request that he serve as honorary chairman of Andretti’s “Arrivederci, Mario” farewell tour in
1994.
Chapman's professional achievements earned him vast recognition. The mayors of Detroit and Long Beach, Calif., presented him proclamations and the key to each city. In 1993, Indiana Gov. Evan Bayh named him Sagamore of the Wabash, the state's highest honor. He served as president and/or director of more than 30 Michigan and Detroit-area civic and charitable organizations. Chapman became active in the civil rights movement in the 1950s and represented the Detroit Urban League and United Negro College Fund in several controversial situations. He admitted to shedding "buckets of tears of joy" when Willy T. Ribbs became the first African-American driver to qualify for the Indy 500 in 1991.
JIM CHAPMAN AWARD HONOREES:
1991 – Michael Knight
1992 – Tom Blattler
1993-94 – Deke Houlgate and Hank
Ives
1995 – Kathi Lauterbach
1996 – Marc Spiegel
1997 – Mike Zizzo
1998 – Tamy Valkosky
1999 -- Carol Wilkins
2000-2003 – (Award not presented)
2004 – Doug Stokes
2005 – Susan Arnold
2006 – Kevin Kennedy
2007 – Dave Densmore and Bob
Carlson
2008 – Judy Stropus
2009 – (Award not presented)
2010 -- Jim Hunter
2011 -- Bill York
2012 -- Judy Kouba Dominick and
Nancy Wager
2013 -- Anne Fornoro
2014 -- Jon Edwards and Elon
Werner
2015 -- Linda Vaughn (honorary)
2015 -- David Ferroni
2016 -- T.E. McHale and Dan
Layton
2017 -- Andy Hall
