Frank Deford calls it a day

saw his name trending on Twitter. Thankful he's just retiring and not dead. Interviewed him a few years ago. Class act, gave me like two hours of his time. Has any sportswriter had a better, more varied career?

 

Ring Lardner, perhaps.

 

I had a similar experience when I interviewed him back in the mid-'80s. He invited me to his home in Westport and we had a great conversation for a couple hours one weekday afternoon. It was a year or two after his daughter, Alexandra, had died from cystic fibrosis and he had written a short book about her, so I remember talking about that. I admire the guy.

 

About the nicest man ever to grace the profession and an astonishingly good writer. In the '70s and '80s, none better and few matched him. If you can find it (I had it in paperback in college, long time ago) his novel "Cut n' Run" is one of the funniest yet pointed books on pro football, Deford's home town of Baltimore and the '60s in general you could want.

 

I have a big collection of SIs from between 1975-79, and his articles are some of the best reads from that time period. His multi-part series on religion and sport from (I think) 1976 was quite good.

 

Will have to check that out

 

And he trolled soccer fans as he walked out the door.

 

His NPR bit was unlistenable. Sanctimonious piece of crap usually. I liked his writing, but I won't miss him on NPR.

 

When in Rome...

 

I haven't seen him on HBO's Real Sports in a while either, though the stories about his NPR retirement say he still contributes there.

 

Met him in college when he "moderated" a panel discussion with Billy Martin, Calvin Hill, and Red Auerbach. Met him again years later when he visited a colleague at our office. A more gracious man you won't meet.