The Foster Hewitt Award for Excellence in Sports Broadcasting was presented annually by ACTRA, the Canadian association of actors and broadcasters, to honour outstanding work by Canadian television and radio sportscasters. The award was named after legendary Canadian sportscaster Foster Hewitt.
Prior to the introduction of the Foster Hewitt Award, ACTRA presented an award for Best Sportscaster at the 3rd ACTRA Awards in 1974. At the 4th ACTRA Awards in 1975, the Foster Hewitt Award was introduced as a lifetime achievement award for sports broadcasting, and was presented to a different person than the Best Sportscaster award for work within the broadcast year, but this differentiation was not maintained thereafter, and the Foster Hewitt Award became the award for sportscasting work within the eligibility period rather than a lifetime award.
First presented in 1975, ACTRA discontinued the Foster Hewitt Award along with other individual awards program in 1986 when the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television took over presenting the awards. The Academy subsequently reintroduced awards for television sportscasting, but not named for Hewitt.
Winners Best Sportscaster 3rd ACTRA Awards (1974) - Danny GallivanJames Nelson, "The women walk off with ACTRA awards". Vancouver Sun, March 4, 1974. 4th ACTRA Awards (1975) - Don Chevrier"William Hutt wins ACTRA best acting award". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, April 24, 1975.
Foster Hewitt Award 4th ACTRA Awards (1975) - Bill Good Sr. 5th ACTRA Awards (1976) - Fred Sgambati"1975 ACTRA Award winners". Edmonton Journal, April 7, 1977. 6th ACTRA Awards (1977) - Ernie Afaganis"CBC's own artists take bows in ACTRA awards". Edmonton Journal, April 15, 1977. 7th ACTRA Awards (1978) - Don Wittman"CBC shows and personalities sweep awards". Vancouver Sun, March 23, 1978. 8th ACTRA Awards (1979) - Brian Williams"The winners". Ottawa Citizen, April 5, 1979. 9th ACTRA Awards (1980) - Dave HodgeRick Groen, "Drying Up the Streets cleans up on ACTRAs". The Globe and Mail, April 10, 1980. 10th ACTRA Awards (1981) - Jim RobsonRick Groen, "Waxman, Establishment take Actras". The Globe and Mail, April 4, 1981. 11th ACTRA Awards (1982) - Brian WilliamsRick Groen, "Cadeau, Missing Kid take top ACTRAs". The Globe and Mail, May 13, 1982. 12th ACTRA Awards (1983) - Steve ArmitageRick Groen, "Air Farce, Billy Bishop big ACTRA winners". The Globe and Mail, April 18, 1983. 13th ACTRA Awards (1984) - George Young, Don CherryRick Groen, "Popular mini-series dominates ACTRA awards: Empire earns big dividend". The Globe and Mail, April 4, 1984. 14th ACTRA Awards (1985) - Sue Prestedge"ACTRA winners". Ottawa Citizen, April 4, 1985. 15th ACTRA Awards (1986) - Ernie NairnAdele Freedman, "Charlie Grant's War is ACTRA's top show of the year: Nellie makes last stand brisk but chummy". The Globe and Mail, April 4, 1986.
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