Chuck Heaton
Encyclopedia
Charles "Chuck" Heaton, Jr. (born August 22, 1917 in Yonkers, New York) is an American sports news columnist,
journalist, commentator, and reporter. He worked for 50 years as a sporswriter for The Cleveland Plain Dealer in
Cleveland, Ohio. He is also the father of actress Patricia Heaton
of the hit CBS-TV sitcom series Everybody Loves Raymond
.
as an infant and grew up there, as well as Lakewood, Ohio
, a westside Cleveland suburb. He graduated from Lakewood High School in 1934 and then attended John Carroll University
where he graduated magna cum laude in 1938, having served as sports editor of the Carroll News and the Carillon Yearbook. He was also vice president of his class at JCU for three years and was on the tennis team. After graduation, he became the JCU sports publicist and tennis coach. He was hired by The Plain Dealer in 1942, where his father, Charles Sr., who died in 1937, had been a transportation manager, starting out as a writer and reporter on the news side. He went into military service for three years during World War II, serving in the U.S. Army Intelligence Corps as an officer in North Africa, Italy, Corsica, France and Germany.
After his retirement from the Plain Dealer, on October 1, 1993, Heaton still worked as a free-lance writer and columnist, also
as a beat reporter for ABC-TV afffilate WEWS-TV, in the station's coverage of the NFL's Cleveland Browns
, appearing
on the station's programs Browns Town and Countdown to 99 weekly programs. As a beat writer he also covered
stories for the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers
, and MLB's Cleveland Indians
over the years.
In addition to his work with the Browns, Heaton also reported on 24 of the NFL's first 25 Super Bowls. Somehow, he found
time to crank out a weekly column on TV sports. Heaton also wrote stories on the Indians' home games, the Kentucky Derby,
the Indianapolis 500, golf and tennis. He also covered local colleges when Baldwin-Wallace Olympic track champion
Harrison Dillard and John Carroll football players Don Shula and Carl Taseff flourished. At the peak of his career, in
the 1960s and 1970s, Heaton wrote a sports column, Plain Talk, that ran four days a week, and simultaneously served
as the Browns beat writer, turning out a daily story plus a notes column, "Extra Points."
Former Browns and Pro Football Hall of Fame
running back Leroy Kelly
told clevelandbrowns.com that he loved
reading Heaton's articles about the team since he started with the Browns in 1964. Kelly is quoted as saying:
"He (Chuck) wasn't that type of writer to get down on players when we were doing bad. Back then, we had some pretty good teams and great ballplayers. He enjoyed writing about the team, being a part of the team. He always had that great smile on his face."
He also said Heaton worked hard to get him into the Hall of Fame:
"I always wanted him to be my presenter," Kelly wrote. "I would see him at the Super Bowl games and he would say, It's just a matter of time. Be patient and we'll get those votes.' [That day is] is one of the greatest moments of my life." Kelly was eventually introduced by Heaton when Kelly was elected into the Pro Football Hall Of Fame in 1994.
Carroll University, the Greater Cleveland Sports Foundation, the Touchdown Club, the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of
Fame, and the now-defunct Sports Media Association of Cleveland and Ohio.
In 1980, Heaton won the Pro Football Writers Association award for distinguished reporting. He received the honor before a breakfast crowd of 2,300 in Canton. His plaque resides in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
occasionally mention Heaton in their storylines. He was a frequent visitor to the set, socializing with the actors. Cable
TV stations did three biographies of Patricia in which Heaton was interviewed. Heaton married the former Patricia Hurd, a
former Junior Wrightman teen tennis player, in June 1949. Patricia's father, Seth Hurd, was a prominent judge in Cuyahoga
County at the time. The couple had five children together, which included actress Patricia, Jr. and son Michael, who is now. today,
also a longtime Cleveland Plain Dealer sportswriter. Heaton and wife Patricia remained together until Patricia's untimely
passing away of a brain anuerism at age 46 on January 20, 1971. Heaton then met and then married Cecilia Evers, an
advertising executive, in 1975. Cecilia, called CeCe, and Heaton stayed together until his death.
lived in convalescence for the previous nine months due to ailing health.
The Chuck Heaton award is now annually
bestowed upon upon the print, radio, online or television journalist by the Press Club in Cleveland for "sensitivity and
humility" and excellence in reporting that the club feels best exemplifies Heaton's career.
journalist, commentator, and reporter. He worked for 50 years as a sporswriter for The Cleveland Plain Dealer in
Cleveland, Ohio. He is also the father of actress Patricia Heaton
Patricia Heaton
Patricia Helen Heaton is an American actress, comedienne, producer and model, best known for portraying Debra Barone on the CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond from 1996 to 2005, for which she won two Emmy Awards....
of the hit CBS-TV sitcom series Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005. Many of the situations from the show are based on the real-life experiences of lead actor Ray Romano, creator/producer Phil Rosenthal and the show's writing staff...
.
Biography
Heaton, who was raised and remained a devout Roman Catholic, moved to Cleveland with his familyas an infant and grew up there, as well as Lakewood, Ohio
Lakewood, Ohio
Lakewood is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Greater Cleveland Metropolitan Area, and borders the city of Cleveland. The population was 52,131 at the 2010 making it the third largest city in Cuyahoga County, behind Cleveland and Parma .Lakewood, one of Cleveland's...
, a westside Cleveland suburb. He graduated from Lakewood High School in 1934 and then attended John Carroll University
John Carroll University
John Carroll University is a private, co-educational Jesuit Catholic university in University Heights, Ohio, United States, a suburb of Cleveland. The university was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus as Saint Ignatius College.The university was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus, as...
where he graduated magna cum laude in 1938, having served as sports editor of the Carroll News and the Carillon Yearbook. He was also vice president of his class at JCU for three years and was on the tennis team. After graduation, he became the JCU sports publicist and tennis coach. He was hired by The Plain Dealer in 1942, where his father, Charles Sr., who died in 1937, had been a transportation manager, starting out as a writer and reporter on the news side. He went into military service for three years during World War II, serving in the U.S. Army Intelligence Corps as an officer in North Africa, Italy, Corsica, France and Germany.
After his retirement from the Plain Dealer, on October 1, 1993, Heaton still worked as a free-lance writer and columnist, also
as a beat reporter for ABC-TV afffilate WEWS-TV, in the station's coverage of the NFL's Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, appearing
on the station's programs Browns Town and Countdown to 99 weekly programs. As a beat writer he also covered
stories for the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
, and MLB's Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
over the years.
In addition to his work with the Browns, Heaton also reported on 24 of the NFL's first 25 Super Bowls. Somehow, he found
time to crank out a weekly column on TV sports. Heaton also wrote stories on the Indians' home games, the Kentucky Derby,
the Indianapolis 500, golf and tennis. He also covered local colleges when Baldwin-Wallace Olympic track champion
Harrison Dillard and John Carroll football players Don Shula and Carl Taseff flourished. At the peak of his career, in
the 1960s and 1970s, Heaton wrote a sports column, Plain Talk, that ran four days a week, and simultaneously served
as the Browns beat writer, turning out a daily story plus a notes column, "Extra Points."
Former Browns and Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
running back Leroy Kelly
Leroy Kelly
Leroy Kelly was an American football player. A Pro Football Hall of Fame running back, he played for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League from 1964-73....
told clevelandbrowns.com that he loved
reading Heaton's articles about the team since he started with the Browns in 1964. Kelly is quoted as saying:
"He (Chuck) wasn't that type of writer to get down on players when we were doing bad. Back then, we had some pretty good teams and great ballplayers. He enjoyed writing about the team, being a part of the team. He always had that great smile on his face."
He also said Heaton worked hard to get him into the Hall of Fame:
"I always wanted him to be my presenter," Kelly wrote. "I would see him at the Super Bowl games and he would say, It's just a matter of time. Be patient and we'll get those votes.' [That day is] is one of the greatest moments of my life." Kelly was eventually introduced by Heaton when Kelly was elected into the Pro Football Hall Of Fame in 1994.
Honors and awards
Heaton was inducted into the Halls of Fame for the Cleveland Press Club, the Society of Professional Journalists, JohnCarroll University, the Greater Cleveland Sports Foundation, the Touchdown Club, the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of
Fame, and the now-defunct Sports Media Association of Cleveland and Ohio.
In 1980, Heaton won the Pro Football Writers Association award for distinguished reporting. He received the honor before a breakfast crowd of 2,300 in Canton. His plaque resides in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Family and personal life
Heaton gained national attention as the father of actress Patricia. The writers of Everybody Loves Raymond wouldoccasionally mention Heaton in their storylines. He was a frequent visitor to the set, socializing with the actors. Cable
TV stations did three biographies of Patricia in which Heaton was interviewed. Heaton married the former Patricia Hurd, a
former Junior Wrightman teen tennis player, in June 1949. Patricia's father, Seth Hurd, was a prominent judge in Cuyahoga
County at the time. The couple had five children together, which included actress Patricia, Jr. and son Michael, who is now. today,
also a longtime Cleveland Plain Dealer sportswriter. Heaton and wife Patricia remained together until Patricia's untimely
passing away of a brain anuerism at age 46 on January 20, 1971. Heaton then met and then married Cecilia Evers, an
advertising executive, in 1975. Cecilia, called CeCe, and Heaton stayed together until his death.
Heaton's death and legacy
Heaton died from complications from pneumonia on February 7, 2008 at Harborside Healthcare in Westlake, where he hadlived in convalescence for the previous nine months due to ailing health.
The Chuck Heaton award is now annually
bestowed upon upon the print, radio, online or television journalist by the Press Club in Cleveland for "sensitivity and
humility" and excellence in reporting that the club feels best exemplifies Heaton's career.