People in Sports Revered in Death or Retirement Wo Were Jerks

One of my first encounters with a big name was Tony Dorsett. I was covering the state track championships; his sister was running the 100.

I approached him in the infield, and I did something I've done maybe three times in my life -- ask him for an autograph.

When my pen wouldn't write, he looked at me like I'd done him a personal disservice, turned and stalked away.

Oh, yeah, I haven't asked for an autograph since and am pretty sure I won't until I die.

 

Earnhardt also feuded with the media, which endeared him to fans the same way it did with Parcells and does with Saban.

 

FTFY

 

You're very right about the whole "don't speak unkindly of the dead" as it pertains to Southern culture specifically. And Earnhardt's life parallels the classic heroic quest that's been told over and over.

There have been some very interesting doctoral theses tackling the whole "NASCAR as Christian mythology" theme. The whole spiritual journey of sin, repentance and eventual redemption is woven into the very fabric of the sport. For many Southerners, NASCAR is a high-speed passion play performed every Sunday.

The "bad guys find religion and prevail" theme is repeated over and over throughout the history of the sport. Junior Johnson served 11 months in federal prison for moonshining, then won 50 Cup races and was a respected owner. Curtis Turner was banned for organizing a union but Bill France relented and allowed him to return before Turner died in a plane crash. Brash and boasting young Darrell Waltrip was perhaps the most hated driver of his era but eventually gained respect and admiration over time. "Anybody But Waltrip" evolved into "Ol' D.W."

There have always been the "faces" (like Richard Petty, Bill Elliott, Dale Jarrett and Jeff Gordon come to mind), the "heels" and then the bit players who really don't fall into either category. But Earnhardt was able to straddle that demarcation like no other driver. He loved playing the heel, even though many fans saw themselves in him and his background.

First, he was the son of a local short-track legend and shade-tree mechanic -- Ralph Earnhardt -- who never got a shot at the big time before dying prematurely. So here comes this dirt-poor kid from Kannapolis who toils for four years in second-hand equipment obscurity but lands a ride with Rod Osterlund in 1979 and promptly wins a title in his second full season.

As he continued to dominate, Earnhardt played the "Man in Black" personna to the hilt, both to the crowd and the media. The Pass in the Grass. Wrecking Terry Labonte at Bristol. But something happened along the way to seven championships and 76 Cup wins. He couldn't seem to win the sport's biggest race, the Daytona 500, despite winning almost everything else during SpeedWeeks, year after year. It became a personal quest that he never quite achieved.

That win in 1998 -- in his 20th try -- turned many of his haters into at least allowing him some grudging respect. And the last-lap crash in 2001 that took his life only deified him more. What's more sacred than to give your life so your son and best friend can finish 1-2 in cars you owned in the race that defined your career?

The term "Saint Dale" could be used sardonically, but to many fans, his life and death completes the myth. It's the perfect Southern fairytale.

 

The thing about Earnhardt though - I don't think anyone portrayed him as some humanitarian before (or after) he died. He was a hard ass and people liked that about him.

 

Lasorda was my worst. He holds center stage for all the national columnists but if you're from a small paper, he won't give you the time of day. I've also seen Lee Trevino blow off ladies who asked for his autograph. I also witnessed the epic rant after Juan Gonzalez had a ball caught on the warning track in Comerica Park and spent 30 minutes in the locker room yelling "Horseshit ballpark!!! Horseshit ballpark!!!"

 

When I was pretty new on the baseball beat, my (British) editor wanted me to do a story about why baseball managers wear uniforms. "I know, I'll ask Tommy Lasorda! He seems fun."

Oops.

 

Actually, a lot of stories about the humanitarian side of Earnhardt came out after his death. He and Senna were actually quite similar: ruthless on the track, reputation for being rough characters, but possessing a tender heart deep within.
Full disclosure: I was and always will be an Earnhardt fan. I became a bigger fan after his death because of some of the stories that came out.
That said, I don't doubt he was a jerk to many. For much of his life, he wasn't much of a father. He never denied that. He finally changed with his last child, and finally grew closer to his older three in his last years.
maumann is absolutely right that Earnhardt played the "Man in Black" thing to the hilt. "The Intimidator" thing as well. I believe that's why he didn't want stories of his kind side out there. He wanted people to buy his swag in huge quantities based on the tough guy image. And they did, in droves. He wanted drivers to be afraid when they saw the black #3 on their rear bumper in the final laps. And they were, which was only reinforced after the '99 Bristol win.
I remember hearing stories after his death that Earnhardt mended fences with everyone he could at Daytona. He talked to Kyle Petty for the first time since Adam was killed 9 months earlier. I think he was at peace, and I firmly believe he knew he would die at Daytona.

 

Ditto on Tom Kite. Has become a grumpy old man.
Oddly enough I've had several good experiences with Curtis Strange, who people told me would be problematic.
Personal story on Payne Stewart: In the days before the FedEx Cup when the top-125 in money were exempt for the next year, the final tournament of the season for all but the top-30 (Tour Championship) was at Disney. I did a story about the younger guys grinding late to put together some top-20 finishes to get their card and asked some veterans what they remember about the last time they had to go through that. I happened upon Stewart, who started out saying all the right things -- "It's tough, I know what they're going through, lot of pressure this time of year," blah, blah. Then he stopped and said, "Fuck 'em ... they should have played better in May."

 

This didn't turn out as well as the Jim Fregosi tale?

 

Bob Feller.

This goes back about 25 years or so. My cousin was in management at a fairly well know resort in the far western suburbs of Chicago. Each year they had a sports weekend where sports celebrities would appear and sign autographs. She and her crew were tasked with handling the celebrities. She said the biggest PIA was Bob Feller. Overly demanding, always looking for additional freebees, extremely rude to her staff and treated them as POS. Caused more problems than all the other celebs combined. This went on for about 10 years. One year Bob couldn't make the weekend and her crew celebrated with a party.

 

Why do you think he thought he would die there?