Clubhouse Chatter: How will you remember Bob Frisk?

What our Sports staff has to say in remembering Bob Frisk.

Bob got me started at The Daily Herald after I graduated from college in 1995, and his positive style of covering high school athletics has been the No. 1 influence on my career. My favorite memories of Bob come from all of our All-Area banquets. It's impossible to put into words just how much Bob cared about those student-athletes, making those nights special for the players and their families. He was an absolute treasure who will be missed but never forgotten.

- John Lemon

Bob always made you smile. He made me flat-out laugh the last time I saw him almost two years ago at a co-worker's going away party. He told me out of the blue how much I resembled his dentist. He couldn't get over it. He kept staring at me in wonderment to the point we both started laughing. He took a picture of me with his phone so he could show the guy. So, if you're out there, Bob's dentist, just know you have a doppelgänger.

- Jerry Fitzpatrick

My favorite Bob Frisk memories will resonate with many readers. Being with him at the All-Area football and basketball banquets was an absolute treat. Between you and me, I'd make sure he was sitting in the chair just left of the podium, and then I'd rush to snag the seat next to him. During dinner we'd talk and talk about DuPage County prep sports. He'd always say how much he enjoyed my work - I was so honored to hear those words - and he'd close with a fatherly pat of my forearm. As soon as the banquet ended, I looked forward to the next one to do it all over again.

- Kevin Schmit

Every Christmas, Bob sent our family a nice card asking us about our kids and telling us about his grandson Mark. Bob loved high school sports, but his pride and joy was his grandson, and Bob loved watching him play baseball. Bob also was very kind to me, and he often sent me notes about how much he liked my stories. I always appreciated his thoughtfulness.

- Patricia Babcock McGraw

Bad bosses. Through the years, I've heard horror stories from colleagues, family members and friends. My first thought always went back to Bob Frisk, who was the Daily Herald's sports editor when I joined the newspaper in October 1985. He was a great boss. A helpful and caring leader. The best.

- Scot Gregor

Bob was a great champion of high school sports and women's sports, but I kind of felt like I didn't get many opportunities to catch Bob on his home turf, since I usually covered high school sports in Lake County. I can say the most angry I ever saw Bob was when he started talking about the decision to close Arlington High School in 1984. Not sure he ever got over it.

- Mike McGraw

Bob was always ever present in our department, and you could tell how much he loved high school sports. What always amazed me, though, was the "Quote, unQuote" columns he produced at the end of every year. The dedication it took to put these pieces together is beyond my comprehension. And what pieces they were. Quotes to make you laugh. Think. Cry. Ponder. Snarl. Inspire. They truly ran the gamut. We lost a wonderful wordsmith and a fantastic, humble leader. Rest in peace, Bob.

- John Dietz

I had more work meals with Bob than anyone I've worked with in 37 years. We covered many topics, and most centered around his latest visit with grandson Mark and when he'd see him next. I admired Bob's honesty about life, his enthusiasm about the next game and his love of family. Such an honorable, decent man.

- Mike Smith

At our football and basketball All-Area banquets, Bob would step to the microphone and begin preaching his love of high school sports with a fervor that startled me just a little each time, no matter how often I heard it. While some in our profession don't want to have anything to do with high school sports, Bob made us proud of our choice to stay local. And when he took time to praise our individual work to the audience, he'd give a little chuckle of approval when he began talking about how he enjoyed my page designs and coverage. Each little chuckle meant a lot.

- Orrin Schwarz