In print or in person, Shalin loved to tell stories
Neil Shalin was a storyteller at heart.
He entertained friends and family by telling stories of his early years in New York City. He felt great joy telling stories about his two children and five grandsons. And he wrote about DuPage County high school sports as a longtime Daily Herald freelance writer.
Shalin, a Naperville resident for 40 years, died at age 76 at home Saturday morning surrounded by his family. He had suffered a stroke in late May.
Shalin moved to the area from New York when his employer, MetLife, transferred him to a job in Aurora.
He brought with him stories of jobs working as the public relations person and public-address announcer for a roller derby league, as a reporter for the Long Island Press and for the ABA's New York Nets and the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers.
“He just had these amazing things that happened to him,” his daughter, Joanna Mattia, said.
There was the time he had met singer Ronnie Spector. And when he called later he wound up speaking with famed music producer Phil Spector.
“There were no shortage of stories like that,” Mattia said.
Shalin got involved in his new community by joining the Rotary Club of Naperville. He served on the scholarship committee and as sergeant at arms.
“I think it made him feel really connected to the community,” Mattia said.
Shalin had a great love of sports and had tremendous recall of details from games and rosters.
“He'd run into somebody who played Big Ten football in the 1960s and they'd start talking about this guy's team, and inevitably my father would end up naming more people from the guy's team than the guy remembered,” said his son, Dan Shalin.
He retired from MetLife in 1999 and began writing for the Daily Herald and the Naperville Sun.
Shalin covered the boys and girls tennis, boys and girls swimming and boys volleyball beats for the Daily Herald. He also wrote about local college sports for many years.
“I think he just viewed it as kind of like a public service, in a way,” Dan Shalin said. “To be able to just tell positive stories about Naperville. He saw the kids as viewing them kind of from a parent's perspective. He loved telling stories about high school kids' accomplishments.”
Shalin also wrote several books on baseball, including 2002's “Out by a Step: The 100 Best Players Not in the Baseball Hall of Fame,” co-written with his brother, Mike.
A doting father, Shalin coached Dan's and Joanna's basketball, baseball and soccer teams.
“Everything was about us,” Joanna said.
“He was just a great father, but over the years like a friend, too,” Dan Shalin added.
Shalin also is survived by his wife of 50 years, Bonnie, and brothers Steve and Mike. He is preceded in death by his parents, Sid and Ronnie.
Contributions in Shalin's memory may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or to a charity of your choice. The family will post details about virtual and in-person memorials on social media.