Frank Deford, RIP (1 Viewer)

[Joe Summer]

One of my idols growing up. He got a little crusty in his old age, but he always brought wisdom and perspective to anything that he wrote.

link

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

I saw this, thanks for posting.

Deford gave me some of my early love of sports writing and commentary.

RIP, they really won't be making them like him anymore.

 

[Toe Cutter]

RIP.

He was a great writer.

 

[knowledge dropper]

Sad.  He was a fantastic storyteller.  

 

[Spike]

One of the great "long writers".

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

I'm going to miss him.  He always had a good story to tell.

 

[wikkidpissah]

Best sportswriter i ever read. Made a subscription to SI a must for any sports fan in-the-know backinaday. here's a link to some content. RIP -

 

[massraider]

Pretty sure I purchased every copy of the National ever published.

Frank was great.

 

[Bottomfeeder Sports]

"Many know Frank as one of the world's greatest sports journalists. We know him as a father who turned tragic loss into the powerful inspiration for working to cure a disease," said Preston W. Campbell, III, M.D., president and CEO of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. "As a writer, a loving father, and an inspiring volunteer leader, he has given so much of himself to the CF community, and we are eternally grateful." 

"It would be difficult to overstate the mark that Frank has left on this Foundation and our community," said Cam McLoud, chair of the CF Foundation's Board. “Because of his more than four decades of dedicated commitment to the Foundation's mission, people with CF are living longer and healthier lives. We will miss his tireless service, his extraordinary wisdom, and his enduring friendship, but we will proudly continue in his spirit of determination to end this disease."

https://www.cff.org/News/News-Archive/2017/CF-Foundation-Mourns-Loss-of-Frank-Deford/

 

[General Malaise]

Damn.  Just listened to his final NPR piece a couple weeks ago.  His segments on Real Sports were excellent.  Lost a great one. :(

 

[simsarge]

Great, Great writer. Loved his perspectives on Real Sport and NPR. RIP to a sports icon.

 

[simsarge]

. here's a link to some content. RIP -

Thanks for sharing

 

[roadkill1292]

I may look for an old piece he did on Baltimore back when SI was doing these periodic profiles of American cities. I remember that he "got it," (which he should since he's from here) and that he made a lot of people in town really mad with it. Good times.

 

[Johnnymac]

One of my all time favorites.  He was a fantastic writer and story teller.

 

[Christo]

One of my idols growing up. He got a little crusty in his old age, but he always brought wisdom and perspective to anything that he wrote.

link

Unless it had anything to do with soccer.

 

[Joe Summer]

Unless it had anything to do with soccer.

He also had some pretty backwards opinions of MMA when it started to get popular 10 years ago. Yet he continued to romantically defend boxing as if it was a gentleman's sport.

He was great at prose, not so much at hot takes.

 

[massraider]

Deadspin is pretty much a cesspool, but this is a great read, and I am looking forward to reading his 1969 article on roller derby.  

 

[roadkill1292]

Unless it had anything to do with soccer.

I was really a fan of Deford's work at SI so I tried to read some stuff that might shed some light on his dislike of footy. A friend sent this quote:

"It is not only that soccer lacks scoring, either. It also has no small victories, no cumulative successes. Baseball teams build rallies. Football teams drive down the field, even if they have to settle for a field goal. Soccer is the coitus interruptus of sport."

Frank was a great one but this take is really full of crap. "Cumulative successes?" Give me a break.