Frank Deford
Frank Deford died on Sunday, May 28, at his home in Florida. Remembrances of Frank's life and work can be found inAll Things Considered, Morning Edition,and on NPR.org.
Writer and commentator Frank Deford was the author of 20 books. His latest, I'd Know That Voice Anywhere, is a collection of his NPR commentaries and was described by Chicago Tribune as "glorious, hitting all the notes from funny to emotional to profound. ... Once again, his words make sports come alive." Booklist calls it a "rich collection for anyone interested in the sporting life."
The collection was culled from Deford's commentaries on NPR's Morning Edition, dating back to 1980.
On television, Deford was a senior correspondent for 20 years on the HBO show Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel. In magazines, he was a senior contributing writer at Sports Illustratedfor 32 years and later became senior editor emeritus.
Two of Deford's books — the novel Everybody's All-Americanand Alex: The Life Of A Child, his memoir about his daughter who died of cystic fibrosis — have been made into movies. Two of his original screenplays, Trading Heartsand Four Minutes, have also been filmed.
President Obama presented Deford with the medal from the 2012 National Endowment for the Humanities. He is the first writer to receive this award primarily for his work in sports.
As a journalist, Deford was elected to the Hall of Fame of the National Association of Sportscasters and Sportswriters. Deford was voted by his peers as U.S. Sportswriter of The Year six times. The American Journalism Reviewlikewise cited him as the nation's finest sportswriter, and twice he was voted Magazine Writer of The Year by the Washington Journalism Review.
Deford had also been presented with the National Magazine Award for profiles, a Christopher Award and journalism Honor Awards from the University of Missouri and Northeastern University, and he received many honorary degrees. The Sporting Newsonce described Deford as "the most influential sports voice among members of the print media," and GQ called him, simply, "the world's greatest sportswriter."
In broadcast, Deford won both an Emmy and a George Foster Peabody Award. ESPN presented a television biography of Deford's life and work, "You Write Better Than You Play." A popular lecturer, Deford spoke at more than a hundred colleges, as well as at forums, at conventions and on cruise ships around the world.
For 16 years, Deford served as national chairman of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and he remains chairman emeritus. Deford was a graduate of Princeton University, where he had taught in American Studies.
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As Jenner prepares for an interview in which he's expected to talk about his gender identity, commentator Frank Deford looks back at the reality TV star's days as an Olympic athlete adjusting to fame. -
San Francisco 49ers player Chris Borland is retiring from the NFL after a single season to avoid potential brain injuries. Some see this as the beginning of the end of football's popularity. -
NCAA basketball fans often strive to rattle free throw shooters — but, for commentator Frank Deford, few efforts match Arizona State's Curtain of Distraction, which he sums up as: "shock and awful." -
Recent scandals involving student athletes at Syracuse University and other prominent athletic departments remind commentator Frank Deford of speakeasies during Prohibition. -
Linking sports and the Christmas spirit is a true challenge, says commentator Frank Deford. "The idea of sports is to beat the other fellow," he says, "while the idea of Christmas is to be giving." -
Just in time for Thanksgiving, commentator Frank Deford describes his gratitude for everyone's favorite team in any American sport. The Spurs, he says, are gentlemen, do right and are beloved by all. -
Commentator Frank Deford discusses some recent sports-related scandals, including the abuse of young swimmers by their coaches, and fake classes created for college athletes. -
Commentator Frank Deford explains why he thinks football has a better claim on being America's national pastime than baseball. -
The NFL is looking for 10,000 volunteers for this season's Super Bowl. Commentator Frank Deford thinks other causes are more deserving. -
President Obama has been widely criticized for not being combative enough. Commentator Frank Deford says we elected a basketball player, but ended up with a golfer.
