Jim Murray (sportswriter)

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Jim Murray
Born(1919-12-29)December 29, 1919
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting placeHoly Cross Cemetery, Culver City
OccupationSportswriter
Alma materTrinity College, 1943
EmployerLos Angeles Times (1961–1998)
Notable awards
Spouse
Geraldine Murray
​
​
(m. 1945; died 1984)​
[1]
Linda McCoy
​
(m. 1997)​
[2][3]
Children1 daughter, 3 sons

James Patrick Murray (December 29, 1919 – August 16, 1998) was an American

sportswriter.[2][1][4][5] He worked at the Los Angeles Times from 1961 until his death in 1998, and his column was nationally syndicated.[6][7]

Among his many achievements was winning the

J. G. Taylor Spink Award in 1987. Cited as an influence by countless sports journalists,[6][10][11]
Murray was a fixture at the L.A. Times for 37 years.

After he won the Pulitzer in 1990, Murray modestly said he thought the prize winner should have had "to bring down a government or expose major graft or give advice to prime ministers. Correctly quoting Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda shouldn't merit a Pulitzer Prize."[2] He was offered $1 million to join The National Sports Daily, but declined.[12]

Career

Prior to his tenure with the Los Angeles Times, Murray was a writer and columnist for Sports Illustrated from 1953 to 1961 and Time magazine from 1948 to 1955. He was also a reporter for the Los Angeles Examiner from 1944 to 1948, the New Haven (CT) Register and The Hartford Times. A native of Hartford, Connecticut, Murray graduated from that city's Trinity College in 1943.[4][13]

Murray was noted for his great, albeit occasionally caustic, sense of humor and ability to turn a phrase, including the following: he wrote of the Indianapolis 500 automobile race, "Gentlemen, start your coffins"; that baseball player Rickey Henderson "has a strike zone the size of Hitler's heart"; and that UCLA basketball coach John Wooden was "so square he was divisible by four."[10]

Although eventually afflicted with blindness, Murray continued covering and writing about sports as long as he was able. He wrote a column from the

Del Mar racetrack for the L.A. Times on the day before he died.[1]

The Jim Murray Memorial Foundation, created in 1999 by Murray's widow, Linda McCoy-Murray, raises money for journalism scholarships for college journalists. Currently 31 universities participate annually in a national essay competition in which the winners receive $5,000.00 scholarships.[14]

In 1964, he received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement.[15]

He was inducted in the

National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame in 1978.[16]

In 1982, Murray was honored by the

Beverly Hills was held for Murray after he won his Pulitzer Prize in 1990, at which the guests included many show-business and sports luminaries, as well as Nancy and Ronald Reagan
.

Murray's funeral, at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in Brentwood, was attended by a variety of notable sports figures including Marcus Allen, Elgin Baylor, Al Davis, Rafer Johnson, Chris McCarron, Peter O'Malley, Luc Robitaille, Bill Russell, Donald Sterling, Danny Sullivan, and Mike Tyson.[17] The tribute was delivered by his longtime friend, sportscaster Jack Whitaker.[18][19]

Murray is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City; a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated posthumously to him in 2008.[20]

Works

  • Jim Murray: The Autobiography (1995)

The following are collections of Jim Murray articles:

  • The Jim Murray Reader (2011)
  • Last of the Best (1998)
  • The Great Ones (1991)
  • The Jim Murray Collection (1988)
  • The Best of Jim Murray

By other authors:

  • Quotable Jim Murray: The Literary Wit, Wisdom, and Wonder of a Distinguished American Sports Columnist, by Linda McCoy-Murray (2003)

References

  1. ^ a b c Pope, Edwin (August 18, 1998). "Sports columnist Murray dies". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). (Miami Herald). p. C1.
  2. ^ a b c Sandomiraug, Richard (August 18, 1998). "Jim Murray, 78, sportswriter and winner of Pulitzer Prize". New York Times. (obituary). p. B8.
  3. ^ Plaschke, Bill (August 21, 1998). "She was right woman at right time for Murray". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Jim Murray joining Chronicle sports section". Spokane Chronicle. (Washington). (Los Angeles Times). December 3, 1981. p. 37.
  5. ^ Bowker, Paul (August 18, 1998). "Murray: The man, the words". Wilmington Morning Star. (North Carolina). p. 1C.
  6. ^ a b "Jim Murray, Pulitzer-winning Times columnist, dies". Los Angeles Times. (obituary). August 18, 1998. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  7. ^ Harris, Beth (August 18, 1998). "Pulitzer Prize-winning sports columnist". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. p. B6.
  8. ^ 1990 Pulitzer Prizes
  9. ^ "L.A. Times sports columnist clinches Pulitzer". United Press International. April 12, 1990. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  10. ^ a b Reilly, Rick (April 21, 1986). "King of the sports page". Sports Illustrated. p. 78.
  11. ^ Reilly, Rick (August 24, 1998). "Finest man I ever knew". Sports Illustrated. p. 72.
  12. ^ The Greatest Paper That Ever Died Archived 2011-12-02 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ Jim Murray biography at espn.com
  14. ^ Jim Murray Foundation Home Page
  15. American Academy of Achievement
    .
  16. NSSA Hall of Fame
    .
  17. ^ "Murray's funeral draws athletes power brokers". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. August 22, 1998. p. C7.
  18. ^ Whitaker, Jack (August 22, 1998). " 'My, what a grand man you were' ". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  19. ^ Malnic, Eric (August 22, 1998). "Farewell to a friend". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  20. ^ Palm Springs Walk of Stars: By Date Dedicated

External links

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