In remembrance of his passing, lets go back 10 years and listen to a commentary frank deford delivered in honor of a man who was both a baseball legend and one of the games truly great characters. In the old ball game, frank deford, npr sports commentator and sports illustrated journalist retells the story of an unusual friendship between two towering figures in baseball history. The thoughtful voice of frank deford the baseball bloggess. His work has appeared in virtually every medium, including print, where he has written eloquently for sports illustrated since 1962. At the turn of the twentieth century, christy mathewson was one of baseball s first superstars. Its hard to distill 37 years of frank defords sports commentaries down to a. The joy in this instance is that deford shows us the process and the humanity behind the creation of a baseball superstar. How john mcgraw, christy mathewson, and the new york giants created modern baseball by.
Her husband a native of baltimore worked as a sportswriter for sports illustrated for over 50 years. Writer and commentator frank deford is the author of sixteen books. Frank deford the legendary sports illustrated writer and. The entitled, by frank deford, begins with howie traveler, who had spent a lifetime in baseball as an unimpressive player and then as a longtime coach and manager in the minor leagues. Deford has written 20 books, with a new novel coming out later this year. He finally landed a major league manager position with the cleveland indians when he was in his midfifties. Baseballs proposed changes are not so good, says frank deford. Frank deford is shown here in 1984, four years into his gig as sports. New england patriots quarterback tom brady sits on the bench during the fourth quarter of an nfl football game against the kansas city chiefs, in kansas city, mo. He has also appeared often on television and has been a commentator on npr since 1980.
Named a best sports book of 2016 by buffalo news frank deford definitely is worthy of a spot on the mt. From legendary sixtime national sportswriter of the year and npr commentator frank deford comes a richly detailed, pageturning tale that takes you deep into americas game. Legendary sportswriter frank deford has died at age 78. My life as a sportswriter is as unconventional and wideranging as frank deford s remarkable career, in which he has chronicled the heroes and the characters of just about every sport in nearly every medium. March 1, 2017 commentator frank deford thinks some of the proposed changes to make professional baseball more exciting wont help. The author of more than fifteen books, frank deford b. From 1980 until his death in 2017, he was a regular sports commentator on nprs morning edition radio program. Perhaps bernard mulamuds classic work the natural, since turned into a movie, is the best known of baseball novels. He has won many awards, including six national sportswriter of the year honors, and is the only person connected with sports ever to have. This entry was posted in baseball and tagged frank deford. A rollicking sampler of one of npr s most popular segments, id know that voice anywhere is perfect for sports enthusiastsas well as sports skepticsand a mustread for any frank deford fan.
I read about baseball first, this book was about football, next is the golf book which he. The old ball game share book recommendations with your. Frank deford, who as a journalist for sports illustrated was known as a master of longform storytelling and as a regular commentator for national public radio brought sports to life for many. Remembering frank deford, the legendary sports illustrated writer who graced the magazines masthead for more than half a century. However, after reading frank deford s work the entitled. In one of his regular wednesday morning commentaries for npr s morning edition, where hes a welcome presence because he leans rakishly into the microphone, frank deford. In his nonfiction he has chronicled everything from roller derby to the miss america pageant, while his novels have used sport as a background for historical fiction and explorations of what athletic competition can mean. A baseball novel in frank deford s new novel, the entitled, a major league superstar is accused of rape and his manager is faced with a decision that could end both. A novel by deford, frank and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The entitled is a baseball masterpiece, like the natural and field of the entitled is a baseball masterpiece, like the natural and field of dreams. He retired earlier this month following his 1,656th npr commentary.
In 1990, he was editorinchief of the national sports daily, one of the most ambitiousand ill. Frank deford, who has died at 78, changed the way we see. See more memories of deford in the twitter moment below. I dare any regular npr listener to read the words of the sage sportswriter mickey huey and not hear the voice of the sport curmudgeon, frank deford. Frank deford is a sixtime national sportswriter of the year, senior writer for sports illustrated, commentator on npr s morning edition, correspondent for hbos realsports with bryant gumbel and the author of 14 books. We are saddened to hear that frank deford has passed away, npr president and. Benjamin franklin deford iii december 16, 1938 may 28, 2017 was an american sportswriter and novelist. What we accepted as great art whether the book, the script, the.
How john mcgraw, christy mathewson, and the new york giants created modern baseball, deford trips down memory lane to the first decade of the 20th century, when the game gained serious. The best of frank deford, according to frank deford. It used to be that i would only hear them when the girls school had a late start and i would be in the car later than usual. Frank deford knows more baseball and writes with more graceful good. A baseball novel in frank deford s new novel, the entitled, a major league superstar is accused of rape and his manager is faced with a. He has been elected to the hall of fame of the national association of sportscasters and sportswriters and has been awarded both an emmy and a peabody. Awardwinning sportswriter frank deford has been contributing to sports illustrated since 1962, and has also done his share of tv and radio work, including weekly commentaries for npr. Frank deford has 43 books on goodreads with 10920 ratings. His opinions on sports were thoughtful and deep and could be read in sports illustrated and in his many books and heard on national public radio. Over six feet tall, clean cut, and college educated, he didnt pitch on the sabbath and rarely spoke an ill word about anyone. Frank deford, the longtime sports commentator for npr and sports illustrated writer, died on may 28 at the age of 78 deford, six times national sportswriter of the year in the united states, was. He wrote more than a dozen books and in 20 he was the first sportswriter to receive a national humanities medal.
He also worked with npr s morning edition for 32 years. Over six feet tall, clean cut, and college educated, he didnt pitch on the sabbath and rarely spoke an ill word. This is the second frank deford book ive read and im definitely not stopping now. Frank deford on his new book, future of the nfl, olympics in rio podcast 62316. Throughout a storied career that included commentary for npr, hbo and espn, several bestselling books, creating the daily sports.
Frank deford is a sixtime national sportswriter of the year, senior contributing editor at sports illustrated, commentator on npr s morning edition, and a correspondent on the hbo show realsports with bryant gumbel. This column is also awardwinning writer frank deford s weekly sports commentary on npr. Carol penner deford is the wife of the legendary sportswriter frank deford. There is one piece of his that i still think about. Frank deford audio books, best sellers, author bio. He would go on to spend another 33 years as a commentator on morning edition. Since baseball is so romantic, many have tried their hand at writing a novel on the subject. At the turn of the twentieth century, christy mathewson was on. How john mcgraw, christy mathewson, and the new york giants created modern baseball by frank deford. In magazines, he is the senior writer at sports illustrated. Legendary sports illustrated scribe frank deford who won over a legion of fans with witty writing and colorful commentary and launched the nations only daily sports newspaper died sunday. Named a best sports book of 2016 by buffalo news frank deford definitely. Commentator frank deford thinks some of the proposed changes to make professional baseball more exciting wont help. In frank defords new novel, the entitled, a major league superstar is accused.
Over six feet tall, clean cut, and college educated, he didnt pitch on the sabbath and rarely. At the turn of the twentieth century, christy mathewson was one of ba. Among the most versatile of writers, frank deford s work has appeared in virtually every medium. The legendary npr sports commentator and sports illustrated journalist retells the story of an unusual friendship between two towering figures in baseball history. The old ball game by frank deford overdrive rakuten.
Jacques barzun, the esteemed cultural historian, lived a. July 17, 2010 sportswriter frank deford s historical novel, bliss remembered, tells the story of a young american swimmer at the 1936 olympics in berlin. Deford may be heard as a commentator every wednesday on npr s morning edition and. From 1980 until his death in 2017, he was a regular sports commentator on npr s morning edition radio program deford wrote for sports illustrated magazine from 1962 until his death in 2017, and was a correspondent for the real sports with bryant gumbel television program on hbo. He is the author of 20 books, both fiction and nonfiction. Npr allowed me to treat sports seriously, as another branch on the tree of culture. Deford joined sports illustrated in 1962, fresh, and fresh out of princeton. See all books authored by frank deford, including the old ball game. Frank defords weekly commentary on sports appears wednesdays on.
I usually enjoy frank deford s pieces on npr when i catch them. Frank deford books list of books by author frank deford. Frank deford wrote for sports illustrated for three decades. Frank deford books list of books by author frank deford thriftbooks. Alcazar proclaims his innocence, and the book has readers. Frank deford is among the most versatile of american writers.