A modest ego explanation

At the end of this column each week there is an editorial statement saying “George Ostrom is a prize winning columnist who lives in Kalispell.” Once in awhile I am asked about that word, “winning” and around three years ago a newer reader brought up the subject by asking me “when and where?” That set me to wondering why this personal weekly bit of opinion had not won a professional newspaper award for several years.

Talk to a local officer of the Hagadone organization, which now owns the Hungry Horse News, revealed that several years ago the Montana Newspaper Association decided to not give awards to contributors who are not on the permanent staff. Although I questioned the fairness and logic of the new policy it did not send me into deep mourning, simply because I’ve had more than my share of recognition in the past.

Over the fifty plus years of doing this wondrously fun exercise, the column has won oodles of Montana State Newspaper Association Awards, a majority of them first places, year after year. I grew to expect it. In the few years entered in the Regional Association competition it was equally successful. Above all! It was extremely satisfying to win four times in the National Newspaper Association’s Annual competition, especially for two first places.

Twenty eight years ago (1987), this “award subject” was discussed here in the Hungry Horse News from a more emotional point of view:

At the Montana Newspaper Convention two years ago I was honored to be the banquet speaker, and because it was an “experimental” joint meeting with a passel of Idaho, Washington and Oregon newspaper people, I was a bit nervous. It helped my self confidence when prior to my talk, this column was given First Place Award for Class I papers.

For reasons mainly involving my usual procrastination, “The Trailwatcher” was not entered in 1985 competition. Naturally, I won no award but it was almost worth it. For all of 1986 I wrote in a relaxed atmosphere lacking competitive pressure. Nothing to defend. Now! Another First Place and I’m back in the soup; because, I don’t care if you play baseball or cribbage, enter chili cooking contests, high jump, or write a newspaper column … very few like coming in second.

Do I know about finishing second? This feature did that in 1967, 68, 71 and 74. I almost quit after getting second place those two years in a row, but rationalized that I was terribly busy those years. Ego? Heavens no. I prefer “adjusted modesty.”

Does all this mean “The Trailwatcher” will be better this year of 1987? That would be nice, but it probably just means this key pounder is back to suffering more pressure than normal modesty requires.

G. George Ostrom is a national award-winning columnist for Hungry Horse News. He lives in Kalispell.