

Harry Atkins
Before becoming the eyes and ears of Michigan sports for the country, Harry Atkins grew up in Port Huron, Michigan. After military service, Atkins got his first newspaper job with the Port Huron Times Herald in 1963. From there, he also wrote for the St. Clair Independent and the Utica Daily Sentinel. A sports editor for the Michigan Associated Press for 21 years (1979-2000), he covered the big events and popular teams for statewide and national audiences.
His notable coverage includes the Tigers’ 1984 World Series run, the Detroit Pistons Bad Boys in their 1989 and 1990 championship runs, the 1994 World Cup, the Red Wings’ 1997 and 1998 Stanley Cup finishes and the NCAA Division 1 Final Fours in 1990 and 2000.
Atkins earned two AP Michigan Staffer of the Year accolades, and was runner-up for the National AP Sports Writer of the Year three times. Once he retired, Michigan AP named its annual writing award after him, and was inducted into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame.