Gary Smith to retire

That last sentence is sad, sad that that even is a question. But you do wonder. There always will be a place for that type of writing, but fewer and fewer outlets care.

 

Here are some links to SI writers' favorite Smith stories. I remember The Rapture of the Deep as being one of the best stories I have ever read. Will have to give it another look.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/news/20140429/gary-smith-best-stories/

 

i'll throw this out: gary's career can be cut into two phases. the first had plenty of stories about figures we all thought we knew -- ali, tyson, dean smith, dale brown, alexis arguello -- and were filled with astonishing reportage and insight that utterly changed how we thought about them.

the second half was filled with stories about obscure people with extraordinary stories to tell. in some ways, the second half left me far colder. in the first half stuff, you always felt that he had uncovered plenty that the rest of the profession missed. in the second half, you felt that he was doing stuff that -- while just as hard, writing-wise -- was lower-hanging fruit. but the second half ones resonated more with the public, i think, and the first-half ones more with other writers.

yes? no? discuss.

 

Hard to say for me. I am in the journalism business and am not a writer, so maybe that's why I liked the obscure people/extraordinary stories phase. But that is a good way to put it. I guess I also probably didn't read a lot of the early stuff since I was but a young pup when he started at SI. Or at least I don't remember it well. Might be time for another trip into the Vault.

 

Eyes of the Storm is the most memorable Smith story for me. I loved it, and came away in awe of Pat Summit.
I also prefer One Tough Bird.

 

Seriously, if you have not read The Rapture of the Deep, I assure you it's worth your time. And ESPN did a very good Nine for IX documentary on the same subject.

http://espn.go.com/espnw/w-in-action/nine-for-ix/article/8948900/nine-ix-film-summary-director-no-limits

 

a superb piece on smith's impact, kindness, weaknesses and strengths: http://deadspin.com/what-i-learned-from-gary-smith-1570929568

 

Funny. Just realized I had his book on my shelf, and I don't even remember buying it. I vaguely remember buying several books when Borders went out of business a while back, so I must have just thrown it on the shelf and forgot about it. Gonna start it in the next couple of days.

 

I always thought Rapture was one of Smith's best, perhaps the very best, because it was a great action story. Stuff happened.

Gary Smith was a damned great writer, and I don't think there's much doubt about it, and I hope he pops out a short story book one day of fiction, just to see if the style holds up.

I will say I wish he'd quit writing about sports at some point and tried writing about politics, the world, news, other stuff. I would have liked to see him size up a political giant, or health care, or immigration, or the drug war. I wonder how many people told him over the years, "you've done what you can in this genre."

 

I actually stopped reading Smith because nothing compelled me like Rapture of the Deep.

A shame it's not on the SI archive. I did grab a copy of the issue on eBay a couple months ago. What an amazing story.

 

he did pieces for LIFE, and apparently wrote on dustin hoffman, and walter mondale on the campaign trail. i've never seen those stories, though. gotta be somewhere, no?