Case, a longtime executive with the national governing body for amateur baseball, promoted college baseball student-athletes for United States summer regional, national and international programs for three decades. He also was one of the ringleaders in the evolution of baseball into an Olympic sport and assisted in the transition of professional baseball stars (many of them from solid college programs) into the Olympics.
"Dick Case has been a tremendous friend to college and amateur baseball," said former NCBWA President Steve Weller, currently Assistant Director of Public Affairs at Texas-Arlington. "He has been a strong proponent of college student-athletes and maintaining the quality of college baseball on all levels. He helped many youngsters to gain quite a bit of national recognition.
He is the 27th recipient of the annual award, which is presented in memory of longtime Ohio State Sports Information Director and NCBWA founder, the late Wilbur (Bill) Snypp. Snypp was a noted contributor to the writers' organization, which was initiated in 1962 (and celebrating its 40th year in 2001), as well as an officer in the group.
The NCBWA/Wilbur Snypp Award yearly honors a professional for their contributions to the sport of collegiate baseball. Voting is done by a panel of previous winners, who include past NCAA World Series directors, College Sports Information Directors of America Hall of Fame members, decorated media members, and many others.