Chicago's LGBT sports scene was well represented in the first 2005 awards from Outsports.com, announced at the end of January. There were more than 30 nominations for the 2005 awards.
Three Chicagoans were finalists for the prestigious Outsportsmen of the Year award, chosen by Outsport co-founders Cyd Zeigler and Jim Buzinski. The top honor went to Gay Sports Officials, while Mark Chambers of Lambda Basketball ( Long Beach, Calif. ) was the runner-up.
Peter Meyer ( softball ) , Paul Cannella ( rugby ) and Chris Cleary ( football ) were Honorable Mention selectees. Meyer oversees the annual CMSA Senior Cup Softball Tournament and also serves as the CMSA President. Cannella is the president of the Chicago Dragons rugby team. Cleary was the defensive captain of the Chicago Flames football team which won the championship in the top division of the annual Gay Super Bowl.
The Colorado Climax hockey team grabbed the Outsports Group of the Year award after winning its third championship in its five-year history. The Climax captured the silver medal in the annual Coors Cup in Los Angeles, arguably the LGBT's largest hockey tournament. The ( Washington ) D.C. Aquatics Club was the runner-up, while the Washington ( D.C. ) Renegades rugby team was third.
Chicago MSA, which is the largest sports organization in the Midwest and one of the largest in the nation, was an Honorable Mention for the Outsports Group of the Year award, along with Chicago Flames and Chicago Dragons.
Outsports.com's annual award are based on two factors: excellence in building on the field of play or in building the organization they are a part of; and positively affecting and supporting the greater gay community.
'Having so many Chicago athletes and organizations recognized truly shows the level of play here is very good, very competitive,' said James Platt, 28, of Chicago, a three-sport standout ( softball, football and volleyball ) . 'The city of Chicago had a lot of success in 2005, and hopefully that's a precursor to the Gay Games, what the world can expect from Chicago and its athletes.' Platt will play for the Flames this summer in Gay Games VII.
'Chicago organizations and Chicago athletes had a lot of strong support for the year-end awards, which clearly shows the strength of the gay and lesbian sports scene in Chicago,' said Outsports' Jim Buzinski.