Most sports fans can vividly recall a sports story which provided memorable moments such as New York Mets shortstop Mike Bordick making a diving stab in the National League Championship Series or Portland swimmer Ian Crocker on the medal stand after helping the U.S. 400-meter medley relay team win a gold medal.

Starting this morning and ending on Dec. 27, readers of the Bangor Daily News and listeners of WZON radio (620 AM) in Bangor will have an opportunity to recall memorable sports moments when they cast their ballots for the Maine Sports Story of the Year.

“The Sports Zone” and the BDN have assembled a list of six suggested stories for 2000 and are asking their listeners and readers to take a few minutes to pick the Maine Sports Story of the Year. Listeners and readers may add a story which is not on the list.

Joe McLaughlin, BDN sports editor, is eager and curious to hear from sports readers.

“Sports readers are perhaps some of the more opinionated, outspoken readers in our paper. This is another opportunity for them to communicate with us,” McLaughlin said.

Last year’s top story, as voted by readers and listeners, was Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln’s 12-0 football season, capped by its 9-7 victory over Winthrop for the Class C state title.

Two years ago, Cindy Blodgett’s final season for the University of Maine women’s basketball team, and her debut in the Women’s National Basketball Association, was the Maine Sports Story of the Year.

The 1997 story of the year, as voted by readers and listeners, was Kim Condon’s outstanding overall play while overcoming an ankle injury in leading Presque Isle High School’s girls basketball team to the Class A state title.

WZON’s 1996 story of the year was Blodgett winning the national scoring title and, in 1995, it was UMaine hockey’s triple-overtime victory over Michigan in the NCAA semifinals.