Honoring Bill Hinds with the Gold T-Square Award for 50 Years of “Tank McNamara”

Bill Hinds will be presented with the Gold T-Square award at the 78th Annual Reuben Awards in San Diego, August 23rd.  Join us online at 7pm Eastern on Monday, August 5th for an Anniversary celebration and live Q/A with Bill during a special NCS Open House event–see details HERE.

The National Cartoonists Society is proud to present our esteemed peer Bill Hinds with the Gold T-Square award to honor his 50 years as a professional cartoonist, creating and sustaining the syndicated daily comic strip Tank McNamara. 

Recognized for its sharp humor and insightful takes on sports and celebrity culture, Tank McNamara debuted August 5th, 1974 with Hinds as artist and co-creator Jeff Millar as writer.  Millar passed in 2012 and Hinds has continued the strip as both writer and artist. Centered around the life and experiences of title character Tank McNamara, a professional football player turned sportscaster, the strip blends satire with sports commentary using an evolving cast of characters and the inclusion of caricatures of real-world athletes and individuals. While it often pokes fun at the world of athletics and the culture surrounding it, storylines have also touched on real-life issues like gambling addiction, athlete salaries, and drug abuse. In addition to Tank McNamara, Hinds has created spin-off and stand-alone work published in a variety of mediums. 

The National Cartoonists Society is pleased to celebrate Bill Hinds’ dedication to cartooning and his extraordinary 50 year career with Tank McNamara.  Congratulations, Bill, and: game on! 

Bill Hinds and Co-Creator Jeff Millar

Bill Hinds at his desk in the early days of his career.