Joe McGuff
Encyclopedia
Joseph T. McGuff was an American
journalist, author, and newspaper editor.
Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma
, he attended Marquette University
and served briefly in the United States Army
before being discharged due to asthma
. After first working for the Tulsa World
, he joined the staff of The Kansas City Star
in 1948. He became sports editor in 1966 and was named editor of the Star in 1986.
After the Kansas City Athletics
departed for Oakland, California
at the close of the 1967 season, McGuff played a major role in ensuring that Kansas City
would gain a new franchise – the Kansas City Royals
– in the expansion. He was named to the writers' wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame in , receiving the J. G. Taylor Spink Award. He served as president of the Associated Press
Sports Editors and also the Baseball Writers Association of America
.
Named as Missouri
's outstanding sportswriter five times by the National Association of Sportscasters and Sportswriters, he was chosen to throw out the first ball for the seventh game of the 1985 World Series
between the Kansas City Royals
and the St. Louis Cardinals
. He was also the author of Why Me? Why Not Joe McGuff?.
A longtime civic leader, McGuff was among the lay Catholics who served on an independent review board in the 1990s to investigate allegations of sexual abuse in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph
, with McGuff acting as board chairman. He also was a voter for the Baseball Hall of Fame
McGuff was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(Lou Gehrig's disease) in 1999. A resident of Prairie Village, Kansas
, he died there at age 79, survived by his wife Kay and six children. There is a legend that on his last days he dictated his Hall of Fame vote to his wife.
In 2006, McGuff was honored by the Associated Press
Sports Editors, who awarded him the Red Smith Award
, which is America’s most prestigious sports writing honor.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist, author, and newspaper editor.
Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, he attended Marquette University
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
and served briefly in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
before being discharged due to asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
. After first working for the Tulsa World
Tulsa World
Tulsa World is the daily newspaper for the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the primary newspaper for the northeastern and eastern portions of Oklahoma, and is the second-most widely circulated newspaper in the state, after The Oklahoman. It was founded in 1905 and remains an independent newspaper,...
, he joined the staff of The Kansas City Star
The Kansas City Star
The Kansas City Star is a McClatchy newspaper based in Kansas City, Missouri, in the United States. Published since 1880, the paper is the recipient of eight Pulitzer Prizes...
in 1948. He became sports editor in 1966 and was named editor of the Star in 1986.
After the Kansas City Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
departed for Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
at the close of the 1967 season, McGuff played a major role in ensuring that Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
would gain a new franchise – the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
– in the expansion. He was named to the writers' wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame in , receiving the J. G. Taylor Spink Award. He served as president of the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
Sports Editors and also 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...
.
Named as Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
's outstanding sportswriter five times by the National Association of Sportscasters and Sportswriters, he was chosen to throw out the first ball for the seventh game of the 1985 World Series
1985 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 19, 1985 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri-Game 2:Sunday, October 20, 1985 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri...
between the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
and the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. He was also the author of Why Me? Why Not Joe McGuff?.
A longtime civic leader, McGuff was among the lay Catholics who served on an independent review board in the 1990s to investigate allegations of sexual abuse in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph
Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the state of Missouri in the United States, erected on September 10, 1880, as the Diocese of Kansas City, with territories taken from the Archdiocese of Saint Louis. ...
, with McGuff acting as board chairman. He also was a voter for the Baseball Hall of Fame
McGuff was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , also referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a form of motor neuron disease caused by the degeneration of upper and lower neurons, located in the ventral horn of the spinal cord and the cortical neurons that provide their efferent input...
(Lou Gehrig's disease) in 1999. A resident of Prairie Village, Kansas
Prairie Village, Kansas
Prairie Village is a city in Johnson County, Kansas, United States, and is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 21,447.- History :...
, he died there at age 79, survived by his wife Kay and six children. There is a legend that on his last days he dictated his Hall of Fame vote to his wife.
In 2006, McGuff was honored by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
Sports Editors, who awarded him the Red Smith Award
Red Smith Award
The Red Smith Award is awarded by the Associated Press Sports Editors for outstanding contributions to sports journalism. It has been awarded annually at the APSE convention since 1981...
, which is America’s most prestigious sports writing honor.