Stan Isaacs (and everyone else) used to write boxing
Here is another link to Tuesday's guest column by Stan Isaacs, who debuted the first TV Sports column in the New York area 30 years ago today.
(While I'm at it, I should also offer a WatchDog shout-out to Steve Zipay, who ably manned the beat for 13 years after Stan's 14-year term. Newsday's sports media beat turns over about as often as the Steelers change head coaches.)
Anyway, it is fascinating to read Stan's first few columns. Three of the first four were about boxing, which would be inconceivable today, with the sweet science invisible on free TV and MMA nipping at its heels.
Stan wrote about the ratings power of Muhammad Ali in his first column. Some of the numbers are astounding by today's standards. The Ali-Shavers bout earned a 37.3 rating, a figure nothing other than a Super Bowl can touch these days.
(Speaking of boxing, I am attending a screening of a new Joe Louis documentary this afternoon and thus will be taking a few hours off from blogging. Sorry, RSS readers.)
Stan's most famous stunt was stealing the 1955 Dodgers championship banner during the 1959 World Series in L.A. for eventual repatriation to its home borough.
Isaacs grew up a Giants fan but found it difficult to root against the Dodgers after Jackie Robinson joined the club in 1947.
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Comments (3)
Neil,
You are doing a great job.
But I do Miss Stan, he was great. And he was one of the greats in Newsday Columnist History along with Marvin Kitman and Sydney Schanberg who are also sorely missed.
However, you are doing a fine job following in his footsteps and very Ted Nolan of you allowing Stan to step in and write this 30th Anniversary column.
Thanks Neil!
Thanks, Mike. And don't forget Steve Zipay, who was between us. Only three media columnists in 30 years! Very stable.
Yes, very good of you to call on Stan Isaacs to write a 30th Anniversary Column, a la Ted Nolan/Al Arbour.
My only question is........
Does Stan's column count in "Baumbach's book"?