Gordon Cobbledick | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1898-12-31)December 31, 1898 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | October 2, 1969(1969-10-02) (aged 70) Tucson, Arizona, U.S. |
| Education | Case School of Applied Science |
| Occupation | Sports journalist |
| Known for | Sports editor ofThe Plain Dealer |
| Spouse | Doris M. Mathews (1901-1981) |
| Family | 2 Sons William Cobbledick, Dorn Cobbledick |
| Awards | J. G. Taylor Spink Award (1977) |
Gordon Russell Cobbledick[1] (December 31, 1898 – October 2, 1969) was anAmericansportsjournalist and author inCleveland. He was the sports editor ofThe Plain Dealer for many years, and posthumously received theJ. G. Taylor Spink Award, the highest award given by theBaseball Writers' Association of America.
Cobbledick attendedCase School of Applied Science, now known asCase Western Reserve University, where he studied mining engineering and was a member ofSigma Alpha Epsilon.[2] He playedcollege football forCase Tech, graduating in 1922.[3][4] Some of his more popular nicknames were "Cobb" and "Cobby." After graduating, he became a mining engineer inMorgantown, West Virginia.
While visiting a friend in Cleveland, Cobbledick had opportunity to joinThe Plain Dealer; he decided to quit his mining job, and started his writing career in 1923 at a salary of $25 per week. Initially covering the police beat, he later became a sports writer.[5] He also wrote for the short-livedCleveland Times in 1926.[6][7] He was elected president of theBaseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) in October 1942,[8] and served in the role during 1943.[9]
Cobbledick served as a war correspondent duringWorld War II, and his account of theBattle of Okinawa written onV-E Day has been frequently reprinted and cited as an example of excellent war reporting. In 1947, he became the sports editor ofThe Plain Dealer. His works were frequently published inThe Sporting News,Sports Illustrated, andBaseball Digest. Cobbledick's writing style was short and to the point.[10]
Cobbledick was journalist forThe Plain Dealer until 1964 when he retired. He later moved toTucson, Arizona, where he died in 1969, aged 70.
In 1977, Cobbledick was posthumously voted theJ. G. Taylor Spink Award by the BBWAA,.[11] He was also inducted into the Journalism Hall of Fame in 1982 and theGreater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.[12][13][14]
From 1963 through 2002, the Cleveland chapter of the BBWAA voted annually for the "Gordon Cobbledick Golden Tomahawk Award", which was awarded to the most underrated player of theCleveland Indians. Recipients includedGaylord Perry (1973),Rick Sutcliffe (1984), andTravis Fryman (2000).[15]
see Addendum B