Charley Feeney
Encyclopedia
Charles J. "Charley" Feeney (born c. 1925) is a former American
sportswriter
in New York, New York and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
for more than 40 years.
Feeney was born in Queens, New York, in approximately 1925. He began his reporting career at age 19 covering the New York Giants
for the Long Island Star Journal. He remained with the Star Journal covering the Giants from 1946 to 1963. He next covered the New York Yankees
and New York Mets
for the New York Journal American
. He was the beat writer for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
assigned to cover the Pittsburgh Pirates
from 1966 to 1986. He was inducted into the "writers wing" of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
in 1997. After learning of his Hall of Fame selection, Feeney joked, "I always looked at myself as a utility infielder
in our business. The next thing you know they're going to be putting Tommy Helms
in the Hall of Fame. I'm in and Bill Mazeroski
isn't. It's unbelievable."
As of 2009, Feeney had been living in the same apartment in Pittsburgh since 1966. That year, following the death of his wife and health problems, he moved into an assisted living facility in New York.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sportswriter
Sports journalism
Sports journalism is a form of journalism that reports on sports topics and events.While the sports department within some newspapers has been mockingly called the toy department, because sports journalists do not concern themselves with the 'serious' topics covered by the news desk, sports...
in New York, New York and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
for more than 40 years.
Feeney was born in Queens, New York, in approximately 1925. He began his reporting career at age 19 covering the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
for the Long Island Star Journal. He remained with the Star Journal covering the Giants from 1946 to 1963. He next covered the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
and New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
for the New York Journal American
New York Journal American
The New York Journal American was a newspaper published from 1937 to 1966. The Journal American was the product of a merger between two New York newspapers owned by William Randolph Hearst: The New York American , a morning paper, and the New York Evening Journal, an afternoon paper...
. He was the beat writer for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG," is the largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.-Early history:...
assigned to cover the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
from 1966 to 1986. He was inducted into the "writers wing" of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
in 1997. After learning of his Hall of Fame selection, Feeney joked, "I always looked at myself as a utility infielder
Utility infielder
A utility infielder is a baseball player, usually one who does not have a regular starting role on the team and who is capable of playing more than one of the four defensive infield positions: second base, third base, shortstop, and less typically first base...
in our business. The next thing you know they're going to be putting Tommy Helms
Tommy Helms
Tommy Vann Helms is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Over a fourteen year career , Helms played for four different teams, including eight seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, four with the Houston Astros, and one apiece with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox...
in the Hall of Fame. I'm in and Bill Mazeroski
Bill Mazeroski
William Stanley Mazeroski , nicknamed "Maz", is a former Major League Baseball player who spent his entire career with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
isn't. It's unbelievable."
As of 2009, Feeney had been living in the same apartment in Pittsburgh since 1966. That year, following the death of his wife and health problems, he moved into an assisted living facility in New York.
Selected articles by Feeney
- Hard Luck No Stranger (Ferguson JenkinsFerguson JenkinsFerguson Arthur "Fergie" Jenkins, CM, is a Canadian former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He was a three-time All-Star and the 1971 NL Cy Young Award winner. In 1991, Jenkins was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. During a 19-year career, he pitched for four different teams,...
), Baseball Digest, January 1969 - Richie Hebner: New Favorite at Forbes Field (Richie HebnerRichie HebnerRichard Joseph Hebner is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He played from 1968 to 1985 in Major League Baseball. He played with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, and Chicago Cubs, all of the National League, and the Detroit Tigers of the American...
), Baseball Digest, July 1969 - 3,000 Base Hits -- Next Goal for Clemente? (Roberto ClementeRoberto ClementeRoberto Clemente Walker was a Puerto Rican Major League Baseball right fielder. He was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, the youngest of seven children. Clemente played his entire 18-year baseball career with the Pittsburgh Pirates . He was awarded the National League's Most Valuable Player Award in...
), Baseball Digest, October 1969 - Willie Stargell Puts It All Together (Willie StargellWillie StargellWilver Dornell "Willie" Stargell , nicknamed "Pops" in the later years of his career, was a Major League Baseball left fielder and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
), Baseball Digest, September 1971 - Clemente: Next to Join 3,000 Hit Club (Roberto ClementeRoberto ClementeRoberto Clemente Walker was a Puerto Rican Major League Baseball right fielder. He was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, the youngest of seven children. Clemente played his entire 18-year baseball career with the Pittsburgh Pirates . He was awarded the National League's Most Valuable Player Award in...
), Baseball Digest, August 1972 - Sparky Lyle: Key to 'New' Yankees (Sparky LyleSparky LyleAlbert Walter "Sparky" Lyle is an American former left-handed relief pitcher who spent sixteen seasons in Major League Baseball . He was a closer from 1969 to 1977, first for the Boston Red Sox and then the New York Yankees. A three-time All-Star, he won the American League Cy Young Award in 1977...
), Baseball Digest, November 1972 - Willie Mays Recalls His Rookie Year (Willie MaysWillie MaysWillie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
), Baseball Digest, December 1973 - The Iron Man Pitcher With Shortstop Arm (Mike Marshall), Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, July 2, 1974
- Alvin Dark: A Man for All Seasons (Alvin DarkAlvin DarkAlvin Ralph Dark , nicknamed "Blackie" and "The Swamp Fox", is a former shortstop and manager in Major League Baseball who played for five National League teams from 1946 to 1960. Named the major leagues' Rookie of the Year with the Boston Braves when he batted .322...
), Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 17, 1974 - The 78-Year-Old Oakland Cheerleader (George BlandaGeorge BlandaGeorge Frederick Blanda was a collegiate and professional football quarterback and placekicker...
), Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, December 27, 1974 - Mr. Television for One Night (Ron LyleRon LyleRon Lyle was an American professional boxer in the heavyweight division. He is considered to have been one of the best contenders of his era. He was a crowd-pleasing power puncher.-Early life:...
), Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 15, 1975 - Pressure? What Pressure? (Sparky AndersonSparky AndersonGeorge Lee "Sparky" Anderson was an American Major League Baseball manager. He managed the National League's Cincinnati Reds to the 1975 and 1976 championships, then added a third title in 1984 with the Detroit Tigers of the American League. He was the first manager to win the World Series in both...
), Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 17, 1975 - One of a Kind (Danny MurtaughDanny MurtaughDaniel Edward Murtaugh was an American second baseman, manager, front-office executive and coach in Major League Baseball best known for his 29-year association with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a player and manager...
), Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, December 4, 1976 - Putting the Rapp on Hrabosky (Vern RappVern RappVernon Fred Rapp is a retired Major League Baseball manager and coach. A career minor league catcher and a successful skipper in the minors, Rapp had two brief tours of duty as a big league manager.-Minor League playing career:...
/Al HraboskyAl HraboskyAlan Thomas "Al" Hrabosky is a former Major League Baseball player from - for the St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves and is currently the color commentator on Cardinals regular season broadcasts on FSN Midwest...
), Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, July 21, 1977 - Martin Reads George Between lines (Billy MartinBilly MartinAlfred Manuel "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times...
), Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 18, 1977