Hoot Honors C-SPAN's 30-Year Link to NPC

October 25, 2010

The Silver Owls (25-plus year members) thanked C-SPAN in song and a video retrospective Oct. 21 marking three decades of nationwide telecasting of Club luncheons.

C-SPAN's founder, CEO and Chairman Brian Lamb, and Golden Owl Dawson "Tack" Nail, a broadcast reporter who took part in the first live call-in show on Oct. 7, 1980, were honored with the Order of the Owl for their dedication to the Club and Washington journalism.

A packed ballroom viewed filmed highlights of luncheons over the years with heads of state, politicians and celebrities.

Former Club presidents and current President Alan Bjerga were recognized, along with Charles Ferris, the Oct. 7 luncheon speaker.

Bjerga joined 1968 President Allan Cromley, 1973's Don Larrabee and Fourth Estate Award winner Austin Kiplinger for Mae Scanlan's parody, "The Whiffen-Hoot Song."

Larrabee saluted C-SPAN with another Scanlan gem, "You Turned the Cable on Us."

Head Hoot John Cosgrove (1961 president) said the event was the opening salvo of the Owls' long-range program to celebrate the rich legacy of the Press Club and expose newer members to its history and heritage.

-- Don Larrabee, [email protected]