ST. LOUIS – Dec. 22, 2020 – St. Louis’ national – and this year international – salute to sportsmanship will be seen throughout the United States this weekend. The Musial Awards airs on CBS Saturday (Dec. 26) at 3 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. CT.
The Musial Awards – presented by Maryville University – celebrate the year’s greatest moments of sportsmanship and those in sports who embody class and character. Honorees featured in the show include Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron, NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace, Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, American tennis player Madison Keys, and others recognized for extraordinary gestures of kindness, selflessness and perseverance. This year’s award recipients span the globe with Ireland Lacrosse being the first recipient of the Musial Award from outside North America.
Along with special appearances and surprises, the show includes conversations conducted by two hall of fame broadcasters as Bob Costas interviews Aaron, the recipient of the 2020 Stan Musial Lifetime Achievement Award, and CBS Sports’ James Brown talks with Wallace, who is receiving this year’s Stan Musial Award for Extraordinary Character.
This is the second year that CBS Sports is the official television partner of the Musial Awards. In addition to the airing Saturday on the CBS Television Network, the show can also be seen on CBS Sports Network on Monday, Dec. 28 at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT and Tuesday, Dec. 29 at 10 a.m. ET / 9 a.m. CT.
In partnership with the St. Louis Sports Commission and the National Sportsmanship Foundation, the Musial Awards broadcast is produced by Al Roker Entertainment, the production arm of 14-time Emmy award-winning TV personality Al Roker. The show is hosted by veteran St. Louis anchor Mike Bush, who has emceed the Musial Awards for 15 years.
“We are thrilled that the Musial Awards and its honorees can provide much-needed hope and inspiration, especially at a time like this,” said Frank Viverito, president of the St. Louis Sports Commission, which, along with its affiliated National Sportsmanship Foundation, produces the Musial Awards. “The CBS platform provides us a wonderful opportunity for the entire country to see what we call the most important awards in sports.”
The Musial Awards are named for Baseball Hall of Famer and St. Louis Cardinals legend Stan Musial, a beloved superstar and civic icon who personified sportsmanship. Stan The Man would have celebrated his 100th birthday on Nov. 21, an occasion that will be highlighted in the telecast.
Sponsors of the Musial Awards broadcast include Maryville University, Budweiser, Edward Jones, Enterprise, UnitedHealthcare and World Wide Technology.
The Musial Awards – presented by Maryville University – has taken place in St. Louis since 2005, and in normal times, occurs the Saturday before Thanksgiving at the historic 3,000-seat Stifel Theatre in Downtown St. Louis. (This year’s in-person event did not take place due to the global pandemic.) In addition to keeping Stan The Man’s legacy alive, the mission of the Musial Awards is to encourage kindness, selflessness, integrity and civility in sports and society – and to inspire people across the nation to be good sports. Since 2011, Maryville University has served as the presenting sponsor. The school’s involvement, leadership and generosity have helped make the Musial Awards the most important awards in sports®.