RIP Charley Hallman

Read him in my cup of coffee in Minnesota...followed him when I moved away.
Early 90s... sitting watching a suburban Detroit basketball game... Look up in the stands and see Charley sitting in the stands, wondering why he was at at his game, then remembered Minnesota was playing at Michigan the next day. Look closer and realize he's sitting next to then-Gopher coach Clem Haskins, Walk over to them, Clem eyeballs me and he waits for me to introduce myself. Instead, I start talking to Charley and wonder why they were here. Clem said he's looking for players and wants to know if there are any players in the Ann Arbor area who can play D1 who haven't committed... Charley looks at me like Clem was nuts...


Charley Hallman, sportswriter and record label founder, dies at 71 - TwinCities.com
Charley Hallman has died. The world is now less colorful. - StarTribune.com

 

Charley was one of my favorite people in the world. He was a lovable curmudgeon. And as like the stories said, he knew his hockey. I learned a lot from him, but most of all, to be yourself. We lost touch with each other several years ago and I meant to reach out to him, but something always pushed it back. Now I'll never be able to catch up with him. Rest in peace, Charley. You were an American original.

 

Holy shit. He co-founded Twin/Tone. I had heard of him but didn't know about him, if that makes sense. A sports writer who founded a record label? He would've been my idol.