Jack Horrigan
Encyclopedia
Jack Horrigan was a sportswriter
for the Buffalo Evening News
and American Football League
(AFL) Public Relations Director who went on to serve in public relations for the Buffalo Bills
. With Mike Rathet, he wrote the definitive book on the AFL, "The Other League - the Fabulous Story of the American Football League", with colorful graphics and action photos, which were not often used to present the AFL. The book also lists the name of every player who ever made an AFL roster.
It was at Horrigan's insistence that the merged leagues retained AFL team, coaching, and player records/statistics as official pro football records. Horrigan also helped develop the passer rating in current use, which, unlike the method previously used by the National Football League
(NFL), allows players of different eras to be compared. The Pro Football Writers of America
annually give the Jack Horrigan Memorial Award to a professional football official or player "for his or her professionalism in helping football writers do their job".
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 the Buffalo Evening News
The Buffalo News
The Buffalo News is the primary newspaper of the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area, and the area's only daily newspaper. It is the only newspaper owned by Berkshire Hathaway.-History:...
and American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
(AFL) Public Relations Director who went on to serve in public relations for the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. With Mike Rathet, he wrote the definitive book on the AFL, "The Other League - the Fabulous Story of the American Football League", with colorful graphics and action photos, which were not often used to present the AFL. The book also lists the name of every player who ever made an AFL roster.
It was at Horrigan's insistence that the merged leagues retained AFL team, coaching, and player records/statistics as official pro football records. Horrigan also helped develop the passer rating in current use, which, unlike the method previously used by the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL), allows players of different eras to be compared. The Pro Football Writers of America
Pro Football Writers Association
Technically known as the Pro Football Writers of America, this organization purports to be "The official voice of pro football writers, promoting and fighting for access to NFL personnel to best serve the public." Goals of the organization include improving access to practices and locker rooms,...
annually give the Jack Horrigan Memorial Award to a professional football official or player "for his or her professionalism in helping football writers do their job".