W.C. Heinz for Red Smith Award (2007)

This is a no-brainer and long overdue.

 

Without Heinz there's no Halberstam or Talese or Wolfe, no Deford or Jenkins or Sherrod or Kindred or Smith. Along with AJ Liebling, Heinz took what came to him from Rice and Runyon and Graham, from Lardner and Cannon and Pyle and Hemingway, and passed it on to us. He elevated the form. He made the future possible. That is his endless gift to us.

We are, all of us, a footnote to WC Heinz.

I've reposted "Death of a Racehorse" in the Writers' Workshop. Please read it.

Signed JGmacG, June 14, 2006

 

I'm in.
Wondering outloud, why hasn't he been honored before?
Seems odd to me.

 

Chris,

I had never read Heinz before his stuff was posted on the Writer's Workshop. But now that I've corrected that oversight, I'm happy to help you correct a much greater one.

I'm Doc, and I approved this message.

 

I'm with Farrar, how has he not been honored before?

Jones please deliver some campaign signs to me, I'll put one up at my house.

 

With no insult to any other great sports writers out there, who I think would agree, this should be a no-brainer award to hand out. In fact, I'd bet you'd have a line of great sports writers begging to make the presenting speech. On the days I've thought I've done a pretty good job, I can read Heinz and see just how far I'd have to go to be great. It induces equal parts depression and inspiration.

Don Hammack
Sun Herald

 

I'm in.

Bob Cook
MSNBC.com contributor

 

Put me down.

 

I'm in, and rather surprised he hasn't been honored before.

Sportschick
Podunk, Montana

 

SIGN ME UP!!!

 

I first spoke to Mr. Heinz four years ago. I interviewed him twice about his old friend and collaborator, Howard Cosell, and asked what he thought of Ali as a fighter. Since then, we have exchanged three or four pieces of mail; a note from him arrived just yesterday morning. If my only payment for the Ali-Cosell book had been those moments with Mr. Heinz, I was overpaid. He is living history.

As a Red Smith winner myself, I have voted for Mr. Heinz every year he has been on the ballot. I'll continue to do that, and I'll continue reminding the other voters -- the Smith winners, APSE presidents -- that W.C. Heinz brought an artist's touch to our craft.

 

Sign me up.
STLIrish, NY