Verdi gets new gig

One of the nicest guys in the world and one of the most talented writers I have ever known, Bob Verdi got a new gig after getting laid off by Golf World Magazine a month or so ago. Here is the story


Blackhawks Add Bob Verdi To Front Office
Sunday, 01.03.2010 / 3:58 PM / News
By Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks announced today the hiring of veteran journalist Bob Verdi as Team Historian, a newly created position. In his role, Verdi will use his five decades of sports journalism for periodical feature stories on the team’s website and in its publications along with a variety of other roles.

"We are privileged to add such a true Chicago sports legend in Bob to our staff," Blackhawks Senior Vice President of Business Operations Jay Blunk said. "As Team Historian, he will give our organization perspective and depth in a number of different roles, which includes contributing on chicagoblackhawks.com. His 40-plus years of sports journalism in Chicago will serve as a great link to our franchise’s rich history."

A native of Brooklyn, Verdi served as a staff writer and columnist for the Chicago Tribune from 1967 to 1997 before freelancing for the newspaper as a contributing columnist over the last 12 years. He also served as a senior writer for Golf Digest and Golf World. In 2004, Verdi received the PGA of America Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism, which honors members of the media for the steadfast promotion of golf, both locally and nationally, throughout their career.

 

Congratulations to one of the real gentlemen in the industry and what a nice hire for the Blackhawks.

Steve Simmons
Toronto Sun

 

Wow, I didn't know Bob got laid off, but I'm happy to see he landed on his feet. Great, great guy. I will miss seeing him at the local PGA Tour stop this year.

 

I bet you still see him at PGA events,writing for golf magazines. Tribune gig was freelance for last several years, I believe.

 

The Blackhawks' president, formerly of the Cubs, really knows how to run the off-the-field aspects of a sports team.

 

Got to think that Sam Smith's work with bulls.com paved the way for the Blackhawks to go a similar route with Verdi for their Web site. Good for all parties concerned. We all should be so lucky to have the teams in our markets value our work as much as, or more than, our employers (newspapers?) do. Even as we're holding those teams' feet to the fire with strong coverage.

No one ever accused those guys of being homers, yet they earned enough respect from the primary teams they covered to get these gigs.

 

The Tribune axed his freelance deal recently. I guess they were tired of his weekend column (which was graciously placed below the fold on page 3 or 4) being the best-written piece every week. (Instead they've made a couple cross-platform _ radio guys writing _ hires to replace him, freelance-wise)

Good for the Blackhawks, who are getting rewarded monetarily and karmically for the 180 the franchise has turned since the old man passed away.

 

Fantastic move, and congrats to a very nice guy.

 

Although he was laid off from Golf World, I hear that he may be coming back to do events for the magazine as a freelancer. That may be up in the air with the Blackhawks gig.

 

Great news.

 

Way back when, I covered hockey, read Verdi in The Hockey News and finally got to meet him.
I later met a guy who was a hockey fan, Verdi's name came up and the guy said he didn't like him, what did I think?
I said he should be the commissioner.

 

Awesome.

This Tribune stuff didn't just appeal to the cognescenti. He cut across all boundries.

Go, Hawks.