Basil O'Meara | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1892-06-05)June 5, 1892 Ontario, Canada |
| Died | October 25, 1971(1971-10-25) (aged 79) |
| Occupation | journalist |
| Years active | 1910 –c. 1968 |
| Employer | Montreal Star |
| Awards | Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award (1984) |
Basil Edmund "Baz"O'Meara (June 5, 1892 – October 25, 1971), was a Canadian sports journalist. A columnist for theMontreal Star, he won theElmer Ferguson Memorial Award in 1984 and is a member of the media section of theHockey Hall of Fame. In 1979, he was inducted into theCanadian Football Hall of Fame.[1][2]
O'Meara began his career at theOttawa Free Press in 1910.[3] He was the sports editor of theOttawa Journal during the 1920s, and mentored his successorBill Westwick.[4][5] He joined theStar in 1929 and retired at the age of 76 around 1968. Although controversy exists over this claim, he was widely credited with nicknaming Maurice Richard "Rocket".[3]
O'Meara died on October 25, 1971 in a Montreal hospital at age 79. He had entered the facility roughly one week before, after suffering a heart attack, and never regained consciousness.[6]
