Jerome Holtzman
| Jerome Holtzman | |
|---|---|
| Born |
July 12, 1926 Chicago, Illinois |
| Died | July 19, 2008 (aged 82) Evanston, Illinois |
| Occupation | Sportswriter |
Jerome Holtzman (July 12, 1926 – July 19, 2008) was an American sportswriter known for his writings on baseball who served as the official historian for Major League Baseball from 1999 until his death.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Holtzman wrote for his hometown papers for over 50 years. Beginning as a copyboy at the Chicago Daily News in 1943, Holtzman wrote for the paper through its merger with the Chicago Sun. His influence and viewpoints made him something of a legend among newspapermen. Southern humorist Lewis Grizzard, who worked with Holtzman while sports editor of the Sun-Times, called him "the dean of American baseball writers," and went on to say "He never smiled, but he had the keys to Cooperstown. No major leaguer ever got into the Hall of Fame if Holtzman didn't want him there." Holtzman left the Sun-Times in 1981 for the Chicago Tribune, remaining there until his retirement in 1999.
Holtzman was awarded the 1991 J. G. Taylor Spink Award by the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA). He was honored by the Associated Press Sports Editors in 1997, who awarded him the Red Smith Award, which is America’s most prestigious sports writing honor. He was elected to the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame in 2004 and the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.
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