Good news, bad news on W.C. Heinz

While this thread is still lively, I'd like to thank a couple of people publicly for their unstinting efforts on behalf of recognizing WC Heinz and his work.

- Dave Kindred, whose eloquence and persistence in lobbying the Red Smith voters was instrumental in getting - and holding - their attention this year.

- Terence Smith, Red's son, who wrote an elegant, passionate letter to the APSE voters in which he made plain that his father would very much want Bill Heinz to receive this honor. Not because Heinz was Red Smith's best friend, but because Heinz was the best writer of his age, whose work exemplified and embodied the very essence of the award.

- The late David Halberstam, whom we can all thank for keeping the work of WC Heinz in front of us. He extolled Heinz to a new readership in his introduction to the 1991 BASW. That he later selected three of Bill's magazine pieces for Best American Sports Writing of the Century is what returned that work to currency and made it available to a new generation of young writers.

- Glenn Stout, the editor of those essential collections, for his deep appreciation not only of the work we do, but of the pioneering work done by those who came before us.

- Chris Jones, for his generous send-off in Esquire and his SportsJournalists.com efforts, including the online petition, that kept Bill's memory vigorous in the minds of the young writers and editors gathered here.

- Those of you here who signed that petition. And those of you here who felt the hair stand up on the back of your neck the first time you read 'Death of a Racehorse.'

- Folks like Allen Barra, John Schulian and Dave Anderson, whose elegies on Bill Heinz and his work were pivotal in making the case to the Red Smith voters.

- Bill Littlefield and Charlie Pierce of Only a Game on NPR, whose long admiration of Bill's work is matched only by their deep devotion to his friendship.

- The folks at Da Capo Press, whose recent collections of the sports writing and war journalism of WC Heinz will keep his memory alive for as long as people read.

- The APSE Red Smith Award officers and voters who this year righted a long oversight by honoring the man who may have been the best of us.

Again, on behalf of WC Heinz and his family, many thanks

 

There's no debating it.

 

Since Tony Kornheiser recently proclaimed that "Newspapers aren't dying, newspapers are dead!", I consider even the Pulitzers to be awarded posthumously.

 

This is simply unfair. APSE gives no awards to sports editors (other than the Red Smith Award). And I'll challenge you to find one sports editor recipient who was unjustly honored. The vast majority of the Red Smith Awards have gone to writers -- all of whom have deserved it. Other APSE awards go to writers, columnists and sections. There is no "Best Sports Editor" of the year award, nor showed there be, nor has APSE ever advocated it.
Mr. Heinz is being honored, as he should be. Congrats to him, his family and nice job by those who selected him. (And I had nothing to do with it.)

 

Tremendous, Georgie ... well said!

 

George, I'll give you that much. And the people who vote for this award are all top professionals, some of the best ever in the business. And finally, the sports editors who were honored were indeed deserving.

Heinz should have gotten this sooner, that's all.

 

I wasn't shouted down. Just ignored. Before any sports editor had won the Red Smith, I proposed a separate award for editors: the Stanley Woodward.

 

The first winner of the Woodward should be Woodward. Invented the modern sports section, is all he did.

 

A bump to keep the gratitude handy for another day.

 

George "Boomer" Scott: My comment had nothing to do with SEs getting an award and everything to do with SEs getting this particular award, given in honor of a great w-r-i-t-e-r. It's just inappropriate. If Red Smith had spent the last 20 years of his career running a section, it would be one thing. But he was pounding out columns to the bitter end. You don't give Steven Spielberg the Best Actor Award, and you don't an SE the Red Smith Award. As Kindred says, they should have another award to congratulate themselves with.

 

There was an excellent memorial service held for Bill Heinz in Bennington, Vermont (the place of his death) on Saturday, with a number of prominent sports writers and others reading from his work and retelling stories from throughout his career and life. I am the sports editor of the local daily, and I will be writing a feature about the service for Tuesday's edition; those who are interested can access it at benningtonbanner.com.