By a majority vote of the officers and the board of directors, Mills Lane has been chosen to receive the Boxing Writers Association of America's James J. Farley award for "Honesty and Integrity in Boxing." The Farley award was first given out in 1977 and has only been awarded periodically since.

      Lane was an amateur boxer of note and a solid professional for the brief time his career lasted, but his true calling came inside the ring as a referee. Lane refereed some of the biggest fights in boxing history, including the rematch between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson, when he had to disqualify Tyson for biting the champion's ear.

      Lane kept order not just in the ring. His television show "Judge Mills Lane" exposed him to many in  general public who may have been unaware of his exploits in boxing. 

      Recent years have not been kind to Lane. In 2002 he suffered a stroke. As a result, Lane has been confined to a wheelchair and severely speech impaired.

      Lane is no longer involved directly in boxing, but his legacy continues to be carried out by his sons Terrance and Thomas, who have formed the Reno-based promotional group "Let's Get it On Promotions."  It was named after the trademark phrase Lane gave to fighters just prior to the opening bell.

      Lane will be honored on June 4, 2010 at the BWAA's award dinner in New York.