Clubhouse Chatter: What led you to becoming a sports writer?
What our Sports staff has to say while waiting for the games to resume.
Sometimes you just stumble into something good. In this case it was a little bit of initiative and a little luck. I needed a way to make some money while going back to graduate school after a couple of years covering the DuPage County Board. I could attend classes and study during the day and work as a freelance writer nights and weekends covering games or answering phones. Twenty-seven years after earning my master's degree, I'm still covering games ... or hope to be again soon.
- Orrin Schwarz
I grew up playing football and baseball and still watch all sports on TV. I also enjoy telling people's stories. Seemed like a natural fit.
- Jerry Fitzpatrick
In the words of George Costanza as he pondered employment, "I like sports. I could do something in sports." I wanted to be at the ballpark and vending was taking a toll on my knees and back. So I became a sports writer.
- Barry Rozner
I was a freshman at Michigan and kind of looking for an activity. I noticed a friend of my dorm neighbor joined the school paper, went to a Pistons game and quoted Larry Bird in his story. I thought, "I should try that." About a year later, I was on the road in Oxford, Ohio, covering a hockey game and decided that might not be a bad profession. The rest is history, I guess.
- Mike McGraw
Is it ... A) Loving sports, B) Not being good enough to play them past high school, C) Wanting to find a way to stay involved in sports, or D) Loving to write? The correct answer is E) All the above.
- John Lemon
I did four years of college radio sports, interned at a suburban radio station and worked briefly at SportsPhone in Chicago. I stumbled into print. The late Dan O'Shea at the Waukegan News-Sun gave me a shot and, fortunately, I didn't blow it. He is missed. I am forever grateful.
- Joe Aguilar
I went to the University of Missouri and was accepted by the Journalism School knowing I wanted to be a newspaper writer. But it wasn't until my senior year - when I switched from news - that I knew I wanted to be a sports writer. The joy was instant.
- Kevin Schmit