Help on an old Jim Murray column...

I had a columnist I worked with introduce me to him in a press box when I was a year or so out of school and we talked for about five minutes and before he left at the end of the night he came over to say how nice it was to talk with someone who grew up reading him, something I'm sure he heard thousands of people say over the years.

I love it when someone outside of the business asks me "So what was the coolest thing you ever got to do as part of your job?" and they expect me to tell them about some Final Four I covered or a Super Bowl or Olympics and I tell them, "I got to meet Jim Murray."

 

I'm sure this was more of a humor column, highlighted by his great writing.
One year at the L.A. Open, they didn't give the media parking passes for Wednesday because of the pro-am. I was driving around the side streets above Sunset Boulevard looking for a place to park and I see Jim hoofing if up there, too. He didn't have a parking pass either ... and he was a member at Riviera. He didn't complain, so I figured I shouldn't either.

 

Great col. Twist on his complaining how the city he happened to be in was more like East Podunk. And he jabbed St. Louis along the way, too.

 

I know it's not acknowledged as one of his "great" columns . . . . but that one has long been one of my favorites by Murray.

Showed his great ability to tell an entertaining story different from what every other writer at this massive event was writing.

 

Did a feature story with (veteran minor league hockey coach) Tom McVie one time. I knew he liked it when I saw him before the game the next time through and he said (in that big booming voice of his that sounds like God) "Here comes (my town's) Jim Murray!" One of the nicest compliments I've ever been paid.
And everything I've ever heard about him was that he was as great a person as he was a writer...

 

The piece Reilly did on him in SI in the early 90s was one of the best things Reilly has ever done.

Murray mentored Reilly at the LA Times in the mid 80s, although I know Reilly wasn't in LA for more than a year or so. In the past, Reilly has called Murray his hero.

 

Reilly spent two years at the Times. Went to SI in 1985. I believe he was 26 years old.

 

Youngest senior writer in SI history at the time. I don't think that's the case anymore though...

 

I think Rushin lowered the age bar when he was hired a few years later. Age 25.

 

If memory serves, Rushin was hired in 1987, so you are probably right...

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/archives/steve_rushin/

This implies he was the youngest at the time, although not of all time. So it's unclear. I seem to remember reading he was the youngest senior writer ever though.

 

The staff is a lot younger now than it was 20 years ago. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Rushin no longer holds the title.

I just remember Reilly saying that SI discovered him when he was covering the Olympics for the LAT and I know one of Rushin's first assignments for SI was the 1987 series with his beloved Twins.