Bill Handleman, RIP

[Frank_Ridgeway]

A very nice man and a fine writer, especially on horse racing:

http://www.app.com/article/20100609/NEWS/100609024/Bill-Handleman-long-time-Press-columnist-who-championed-the-underdog-dead-at-62-

 

[spnited]

No cause of death mentioned and I do not kow if Bill was ill or not...but to me this is just shocking, horrible news.
A great guy and a real character. Loved his horses and his days at Monmouth Park.

 

[Frank_Ridgeway]

No cause of death mentioned and I do not kow if Bill was ill or not

I hear it was cancer, and that Tom Luicci is helping to run a fundraiser breakfast Saturday at the Jersey Shore.

http://www.horseraceinsider.com/blog.php/Press-Release/article/tribute-to-bill-handleman-set-saturday-june-12/

 

[Frank_Ridgeway]

If you can't attend the breakfast, checks can be made out to Bill's wife, Judy Handleman, and sent to:

Paul D'Ambrosio
Investigations Editor
Asbury Park Press
3601 Hoghway 66 Box 1550
Neptune, NJ 07754

 

[Ben_Hecht]

Too bad. Nice guy, a character, and knew his ****. Can't ask for anything more.

 

[shockey]

a fine man, all-around good guy and an excellent writer. i'm stunned and saddened. great of "looch" to get the fund-raiser together for mrs., handleman. :'( :'( :'(

 

[JNEWFIFTY]

http://www.app.com/article/20100609/NEWS/100609024/Bill-Handleman-long-time-Asbury-Park-Press-columnist-dead-at-62

A good guy and a better writer.

 

[playthrough]

From the top link:

"With his international background, he quickly developed a reputation in the newsroom and the press box as something of a renaissance man. Early on, for example, he scored a rare, candid interview from the famously taciturn Andre the Giant after switching in mid-interview to fluent French, the 7-foot-4-inch wrestler's native tongue."

Great nugget.

RIP Bill. Always hate to hear about the loss of a horse racing expert, those types are truly rare.

 

[Jim_Carty]

I was fortunate to work with Bill for several years at the APP, a great guy and a consumate professional. Always had the people around him laughing. The perfect touch of journalism sarcasm and great touch as a columnist. Very sad news.

 

[Dr. Howard]

Got know Bill a little bit a long ways back. Really liked him. Funny man, very human. Wonderful professional. Sad news.

 

[Jim_Carty]

A bit disappointing to go to the sports section on APP.com and not see any special coverage of Bill's death. For most readers, he IS their sports section, and has been for two decades. To not even note that in any significant way shows some sort of disconnect.

http://www.app.com/sports

Conversely, the Star-Ledger is featuring a story on his death on NJ.com:

http://www.nj.com/sports/

 

[Colton]

Damn...

RIP.

 

[JohnnyChan]

Bill was the kind of character I entered this business to meet, and the kind of talent I always wanted to be around, in the faint hope some of it might rub off. What a wonderful fella.

Mike Vaccaro