Earl Lawson (sportswriter)
Encyclopedia
Earl Lawson was an American sportswriter
for newspapers in Cincinnati, Ohio
. He covered the Cincinnati Reds
from 1949 to 1984 and was inducted into the "writers wing" of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
in 1985.
In 1949, Lawson first began covering the Cincinnati Reds for the Cincinnati Times-Star. He was the beat reporter for the Reds at the Times-Star from 1951 to 1958 and at The Cincinnati Post
from 1958 to 1984. Lawson had a series of run-ins with the Reds in his early year as a beat reporter covering the team. In June 1953, manager Rogers Hornsby
barred Lawson from the locker room after Lawson questioned Hornsby's decision not to replace a pitcher. In June 1957, Lawson got into a fight with Reds' second baseman Johnny Temple
after a game in which Lawson, who also served as official scorer
, charged Temple with a fielding error. Temple reportedly greeted Lawson with a "blistering barrage of profanity" and knocked Lawson to the ground before other players separated them. In June 1962, Reds' star outfielder Vada Pinson
punched Lawson on the chin after Lawson wrote an article criticizing the Reds for lackadaisical fielding. Lawson joked to fellow reporters that, based on first-hand knowledge, Pinson was a harder puncher than Temple. After a second incident in September 1963 in which Pinson allegedly grabbed Lawson by the neck and pushed him against a wall, Lawson filed assault and battery charges against Pinson. A trial in December 1963 result in a hung jury. He was also a correspondent for The Sporting News
for many years. In 1976, he was elected as the president of the Baseball Writers Association of America
.
In 1985, Lawson was honored by the Baseball Writers Association of America with the J. G. Taylor Spink Award for distinguished baseball writing. Recipients of the Spink Award are recognized at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
in what is commonly referred to as the "writers wing" of the Hall of Fame.
In 1987, Lawson published his autobiography, Cincinnati Seasons: My 34 Years With the Reds. Lawson wrote in his autobiography that he had been able to live like a millionaire while being paid to do it. He recalled that he had "mingled with the sports celebrities of the world and formed friendships that I'll cherish forever ... I was a baseball writer."
Lawson moved to Sacramento, California
, in 2000 to live with his daughter. In January 2003, half a month before his 80th birthday, he died of cancer.
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...
for newspapers in Cincinnati, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. He covered the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
from 1949 to 1984 and 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 1985.
In 1949, Lawson first began covering the Cincinnati Reds for the Cincinnati Times-Star. He was the beat reporter for the Reds at the Times-Star from 1951 to 1958 and at The Cincinnati Post
The Cincinnati Post
The Cincinnati Post is a discontinued afternoon daily newspaper that was published in Cincinnati, Ohio. Distributed in Northern Kentucky as The Kentucky Post, it was owned by the E. W. Scripps Company. Since the 1980s, its editorial stance was usually conservative. The Post published its final...
from 1958 to 1984. Lawson had a series of run-ins with the Reds in his early year as a beat reporter covering the team. In June 1953, manager Rogers Hornsby
Rogers Hornsby
Rogers Hornsby, Sr. , nicknamed "The Rajah", was an American baseball infielder, manager, and coach who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball . He played for the St. Louis Cardinals , New York Giants , Boston Braves , Chicago Cubs , and St. Louis Browns...
barred Lawson from the locker room after Lawson questioned Hornsby's decision not to replace a pitcher. In June 1957, Lawson got into a fight with Reds' second baseman Johnny Temple
Johnny Temple
John Ellis Temple was a Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Redlegs/Reds ; Cleveland Indians , Baltimore Orioles and Houston Colt .45s . Temple was born in Lexington, North Carolina. He batted and threw right-handed.Temple was a career .284 hitter with 22 home runs and 395 RBI...
after a game in which Lawson, who also served as official scorer
Official scorer
In the game of baseball, the official scorer is a person appointed by the league to record the events on the field, and to send the official scoring record of the game back to the league offices...
, charged Temple with a fielding error. Temple reportedly greeted Lawson with a "blistering barrage of profanity" and knocked Lawson to the ground before other players separated them. In June 1962, Reds' star outfielder Vada Pinson
Vada Pinson
Vada Edward Pinson, Jr. was an American center fielder and coach in Major League Baseball. Pinson played in the major leagues for 18 years, from 1958 through 1975, and his greatest seasons were with the Cincinnati Redlegs/Reds, for whom he played from 1958–68.Pinson combined power, speed and...
punched Lawson on the chin after Lawson wrote an article criticizing the Reds for lackadaisical fielding. Lawson joked to fellow reporters that, based on first-hand knowledge, Pinson was a harder puncher than Temple. After a second incident in September 1963 in which Pinson allegedly grabbed Lawson by the neck and pushed him against a wall, Lawson filed assault and battery charges against Pinson. A trial in December 1963 result in a hung jury. He was also a correspondent for The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
for many years. In 1976, he was elected as the president of the Baseball Writers Association of America
Baseball Writers Association of America
The Baseball Writers' Association of America is a professional association for baseball journalists writing for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying Web sites. The BBWAA was founded on October 14, 1908, to improve working conditions for sportswriters in the early part of the 20th century...
.
In 1985, Lawson was honored by the Baseball Writers Association of America with the J. G. Taylor Spink Award for distinguished baseball writing. Recipients of the Spink Award are recognized at 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 what is commonly referred to as the "writers wing" of the Hall of Fame.
In 1987, Lawson published his autobiography, Cincinnati Seasons: My 34 Years With the Reds. Lawson wrote in his autobiography that he had been able to live like a millionaire while being paid to do it. He recalled that he had "mingled with the sports celebrities of the world and formed friendships that I'll cherish forever ... I was a baseball writer."
Lawson moved to Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, in 2000 to live with his daughter. In January 2003, half a month before his 80th birthday, he died of cancer.
Selected articles by Lawson
- Gary Nolan: The Confidence Kid (Gary Nolan), Baseball Digest, May 1969
- No More Eccentric Capers for Carbo (Bernie CarboBernie CarboBernardo 'Bernie' Carbo is a former outfielder and designated hitter who played from through for the Cincinnati Reds , St. Louis Cardinals , Boston Red Sox , Milwaukee Brewers , Cleveland Indians and Pittsburgh Pirates . He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
), Baseball Digest, July 1970 - Anatomy of an Arm Problem (Don Gullett), Baseball Digest, December 1976
- Pete Rose Recalls Career Highlights in Each Park (Pete RosePete RosePeter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
), Baseball Digest, September 1977 - Ed Kranepool: Last of the Original Mets (Ed KranepoolEd KranepoolEdward Emil Kranepool is a former first baseman who spent his entire Major League Baseball career with the New York Mets....
), Baseball Digest, September 1979 - Gaylord Perry: Next in Line to Win 300 Games (Gaylord PerryGaylord PerryGaylord Jackson Perry is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1962-1983 for eight different teams in his career. During a 22-year baseball career, Perry compiled 314 wins, 3,534 strikeouts, and a 3.11 earned run average...
), Baseball Digest, August 1981 - Memories of Major League Spring Training in the 1950s, Baseball Digest, May 1992
- Memories of a Younger Sparky Anderson (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...
), Baseball Digest, August 1992 - Reds' Relief Corps Has Been Populated by 'Free Spirits' (Pedro BorbonPedro BorbónSpudro spärde Von Dolan is a former pitcher. He played Major League Baseball for 12 seasons for four teams, including 10 seasons for the Cincinnati Reds , playing on two World Series winning teams...
/Ryne DurenRyne DurenRinold George "Ryne" Duren was an American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball.He was known for the combination of his blazing fastball and his very poor vision. With his thick coke bottle glasses, few batters dared to dig in against Duren...
), Baseball Digest, November 1992 - How Injuries Shortened Careers of 4 Reds Pitchers (Jim MaloneyJim MaloneyJames William Maloney is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with the Cincinnati Reds and California Angels...
, Gary Nolan, Don Gullett, Wayne SimpsonWayne SimpsonWayne Kirby Simpson , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1970-1977. He played for the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Philadelphia Phillies, and California Angels. Hank Aaron got his 3,000th career hit off Simpson.Simpson was 14-3 with a 3.02 Earned...
), Baseball Digest, May 1993 - Joe Nuxhall Recalls Last Time He Faced Stan Musial (Joe NuxhallJoe NuxhallJoseph Henry Nuxhall was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, mostly for the Cincinnati Reds. Immediately after retiring as a player, he became a radio broadcaster for the Reds from 1967 through 2004, and continued part-time up until his death in 2007...
), Baseball Digest, July 1996