1987 – Will Grimsley

Born in Monterey, Tennessee, on January 27, 1914, sportwriting legend Will Grimsley covered 15 Olympics, 35 World Series, and 25 Kentucky Derbies during his more than 40 year career as a sports reporter for The Associated Press. Grimsley began his career as Sportswriter at 18, when he was hired onto the sports staff atThe Evening Tennessean. Three years later, in 1935, he became Sports Editor and Columnist at the paper. Then in 1943, Grimsley joined The Associated Press in Memphis, before transferring to New York in 1947. During his time with The Associated Press, he covered major sporting events around the world, and starting in 1977 also wrote a five-day-a-week column called “Grimsley’s Sports World.” He retired from The Associated Press in 1984. After his retirement, Grimsley served as the president of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association from 1985-86, and was also president of the United States Golf Writers Association and the United States Tennis Writers Association. During his career, Grimsley was named National Sports Writer of the Year four times. He also won the Red Smith Award for “extended meritorious service to sports journalism” in 1987. Grimsley died in 2002. He was inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame on April 7, 1987.