Frank DeFord

I had the chance to talk to him earlier this year and he was so gracious to an aspiring journalist. I was nervous to talk to him because I've always admired his work, but he couldn't have been nicer.

 

If I'm not mistaken, the "money man" died several years ago...

 

I've talked to several people who worked at The National who said the primary reason it failed is because Deford spent way too much money hiring people and traveling and doing all that before they had any subscriber base. They all love the guy, but basically said he had zero business sense.

 

I think it's a great idea to use Bradley's run in the famed CBI as a launching point for the story. ... I'm just kidding, that makes no sense.

 

Ads? We need ads?

 

Ask him what Billy Cannon thought about "Everybody's All-American."

(It was actually based on Charlie "Choo-choo" Justice, though the movie made it seem like it was based on Cannon).

Seriously, though, just ask him what he looks for in a great feature story, and go from there ...

 

It failed because the distribution system was flawed. And that the U.S. spans four time zones. Not because Deford spent too much on hiring and travel.

 

Damn, that Manifest Destiny. Damn it!!!!

 

Ask him about the time he was writing late into a Sunday night (I think Monday was the SI deadline) following a World Series game and took his typewriter into his hotel bathroom so as not to keep other guests awake. FYI: His daughter, Alex, died of CF in 1980.

 

Sez you and the Native Americans.

 

Here's the question: Why the hell would he let John Feinstein fly back from the French Open to take care of his sick cat, then fly him back to cover the finals? On the Concord.