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NEW ORLEANS
,
La.
– For the moment Ray Scott, the founder of the world’s largest bass
fishing organization, is back on stage at the BASS Masters Classic world
championship of professional bass fishing.
Not to emcee fishing’s biggest event, but to be honored for his
creation.
The
Bass Anglers Sportsman Society’s (BASS) Lifetime Achievement Award was
presented to Scott during the opening ceremonies Sunday (August 3) in the
New Orleans Sports Arena.
“We’re
paying tribute to the man who created the sport of professional bass
fishing the founder of B.A.S.S., and the inspiration behind the BASS
Masters Classic,” said Dean Kessel, general manager for the Montgomery,
Alabama based 600,000 member worldwide organization, now a part of the
ESPN Outdoors and cable sports programming.
Scott,
attired in his familiar white cowboy hat, fringe-decorated jacket with the
B.A.S.S. shield, was greeted with a standing ovation by the 20,000 some
fishing fans gathered for the final weigh-in of Classic XXXII.
For
the moment, the crowd reacted to Scott stepping up on stage to the
possibility that the all-time favorite weighmaster was going to, again, be
the event’s master-of-ceremonies.
Scott
played along for the moment. Calling
for his “A-Team” to respond and telling the “B-Team” to provide a
cheer – an approach he used numerous times in hyping up the crowd to
bring a tingle to Classic tournament pros and spectators.
Introduced
by B.A.S.S. last year with the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement
Award in
Birmingham
,
Alabama
, to Rick Clunn, a four-time Classic champion and a 28-time qualifier for
the world finals, the Award is the highest tribute to a member of B.A.S.S.
In
his opening remarks, Scott made the point:
“I’m a lifetime member of B.A.S.S.
I’m here to thank you for this great honor…especially on the
occasion of the 35th anniversary of B.A.S.S.
It gives me a great opportunity to thank all the people who got me
here…YOU, the bass anglers and the bass fishing fans.”
To
his faithful fans, Scott said: “I
am convinced we all share something very special, especially the anglers
who will weigh-in on this stage. We
share DREAMS! Because, if ever
a sport and an industry was built on dreams, it is bass fishing and
B.A.S.S.”
Scott
related how his own dream evolved out of a small metal box with four names
on file cards in 1967 with the start of his first All-American
Invitational Bass Tournament at
Beaver Lake
,
Arkansas
. From those seeds, sprouted
the names of 106 fishermen who came to fish the tournament and grew into
the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society with over 600,000 members, bass clubs,
state B.A.S.S. Federations and the Bassmaster Tournament Trail.
“So,
I know a dreamer when I see one,” said Scott.
“And, while I have this special moment, I want to pay tribute to
two of the greatest dreamers.
“One,
the bass pro who slugs it out all year round with incredible skill,
consistency and endurance. The
other is the Federation angler, who fights his way to the Classic through
a grueling series of events for his chance of an angling lifetime.”
Pointing
to the B.A.S.S. logo on his chest, Scott declared, “Today, all of these
dreams are represented by this emblem known worldwide – the B.A.S.S.
shield.”
Then,
Scott reeled off a roll call of achievements by the organization:
“Never
forget when you display the B.A.S.S. shield, you’re the ones who
promoted catch and release. You’re
the ones who demanded clean waters. You’re
the ones who took a kid fishing. You’re
the ones who embraced safe boating.”
“And, you’re the ones who inspired
the products and technology represented by the Classic sponsors and the
Classic Outdoor Show.
“And, you’re the ones, who created a new breed of American hero, the
bass pro,” continued Scott.
Looking
to the future, by building on the organization’s 35 years of rich
tradition, Scott declared, “Combine this heritage with the vast
resources of talent and vision of ESPN/BASS and the future of bass fishing
and B.A.S.S. is limitless. The
dreams have just begun.
“And,
as we dream,” continued the B.A.S.S. founder, “let’s thank the Good
Lord, that we live in a country that not only lets us dream, but lets us
make them come true.
Asked
about the revamping of the B.A.S.S. “patch” he designed in 1968, Scott
admitted: “It looks a little
bit different today. After 35
years, it (new B.A.S.S. emblem) represents a renewed commitment to
everything B.A.S.S. stands for. Better
fishing. Better products.
Better conservation. Youth
fishing. Safety.
Fair and exciting competitions.
Fishing heroes. It
stands for the spirit of B.A.S.S.”
Asked
about the progress of his talks with the B.A.S.S./ESPN managers and
possible return to B.A.S.S., Scott said:
“There’s discussions on-going.
I’ve had meetings with Dean Kessel, the B.A.S.S. general manager,
and Michael Rooney, vice president of ESPN Outdoors, talking about how Ray
Scott might serve the organization in the future.”
Scott
underlined, “As a lifetime member of B.A.S.S., I’m still strongly
interested in the future of the organization and the sport of bass
fishing. Bass anglers are
special. There’s a chemistry
that makes the B.A.S.S. members click.
Maybe as an amBASSador of some scope we can lift the spirit
of B.A.S.S. There are so many
reasons members can take pride in belonging to the BASS Anglers Sportsman
Society.”
Scott
stepped away from the Classic stage in 1998 after negotiations with
B.A.S.S., Inc. and the ownership led by Helen Sevier ended.
Sevier and some investors purchased B.A.S.S. Inc. in 1986 and sold
their interest to ESPN in 2000. Scott,
as president of Ray Scott Outdoors, Inc., has stayed active in the fishing
tackle and marine industry as the national spokesman for SOS, Inc.,
inflatable life vest, U. S. Reel, developer of the new Ray Scott
SuperCaster 225 spinning reel and Sweeney Enterprises, Inc., the oldest
manufacturer of wildlife feeders and automated nutritional feeding systems
for fish and game.
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