resident of Milford, NH, formerly of Dracut, MA

Samuel G. Weisberg died on Tuesday, December 17, 2019 at 86 years old.

He was a resident of Milford, NH, formerly of Dracut, MA. Born September 28, 1933, he was the son of Sadie (Goldman) Weisberg and Benjamin Weisberg.

Samuel attended Dracut schools and graduated from Dracut High School in 1950. He graduated from Boston University.

Samuel was employed at the Lowell Sun as a sports reporter for 60 years, starting in 1953 before fully retiring in 2013. He was a sports reporter and Sunday sports editor for about 40 years before becoming the Sun's librarian. Sam specialized in covering high school football games in the local area and continued covering games well into his retirement. He was a renowned sports statistician for local football, baseball and basketball teams and originated lengthy local year end reviews for the Sun.

Sam covered hundreds of local high school football games: Lowell High, the great 1967 powerhouse, final years of Keith Academy, Mike Esposito's Wilmington teams, many Dracut, Tyngsboro, Pelham, Greater Lowell Vocational and just about all other area schools to include semi pro Nor'easter games. Sam wrote a weekly sports column at the Sun called "The Lookout" and also a Sunday column on page three of the sports section.

His most memorable sports reporting was covering the world champion Boston Celtics during the Bill Russell – Bob Cousy "Golden Era" in the 1959-1960 years. Sam spent many fantastic nights in the Boston Garden press row, especially during the final rounds with the St. Louis Hawks and heated interviews in the Garden locker room. Also, memorable to Sam was his coverage of the nation's number one college football team, the mighty undefeated Syracuse Orangemen's 46-0 rout of Boston University on November 22, 1959.

Sam was also the auto racing editor at the Sun and wrote another weekly column "At the Wheel" for 17 years. He had numerous auto racing stories published in national racing papers and magazines. He was a member of several "Old Timers" racing clubs, was historian of the Dracut Speedway and a lifetime member of the Northeastern Midget Racing Association. He was a donator of the prestigious Johnny Thomson Memorial Trophy for 54 years and was the recipient of the first annual Jack Ratta Memorial Award for auto racing journalism, thus being inducted into to the New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2005.

His hobbies included collecting auto racing and sports memorabilia, walking daily at the Dracut High School track as well as Dracut's Veterans Memorial Park and later, on sidewalks and paths around the Milford, NH oval and Souhegan River trail. Samuel also enjoyed attending sporting events of his children and grandchildren.

"Sammy" was a longtime baseball and softball player in Dracut Town Leagues, Greater Lowell Softball League and the Pawtucketville Social Club League. He was a co-founder and statistician for the Dracut Town Baseball League, original Dracut Softball League and the Lowell Sun softball team.

Sam was a published author of autobiographies of the late Dracut High Coach Ed Murphy and the late Lowell High football coach Ray Riddick. He helped edit the fantastic and well received book "Titus," a biography of Lowell High football great Titus Plomaritis. Also, he wrote the chapter "History of Midget Auto Racing in New England," which is featured in the book "A History of Auto Racing In New England."

Sam was highly dedicated to his craft and support of local sports and auto racing and was elected to the Dracut High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986 and was the recipient of many sports and auto racing awards.

He is survived by his son, David Weisberg and wife Jessica of Mont Vernon, NH; daughter Stephanie Sgroi and husband Jeff of Raleigh, NC; a granddaughter, Alexis Weisberg and a grandson, Jaxon Weisberg as well as many nieces and nephews.

Sam was the brother of the late Isadore Weisberg of Dunstable, MA; the late Jack Weisberg of Port Charlotte, FL and the late May (Weisberg) Stonner of Manchester, NH.

Weisberg

A graveside service will be held Thursday, December 19th, 2019 at the Montefiore Cemetery, 46 Pulpit Rock Rd Pelham, N.H., at 9 a.m. Friends and family are invited to attend. Those who wish to make a donation in Samuel's loving memory, may do so to the Humane Society for Greater Nashua as Sam was an avid rescuer of cats. The DAVIS FUNERAL HOME, One Lock St., Nashua has been placed in charge of arrangements. An online guest book is available at www.davisfuneralhomenh.com, (603-883-3401) "ONE MEMORY LIGHTS ANOTHER".

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Published by Lowell Sun on Dec. 19, 2019.

Memories and Condolences
for Samuel Weisberg

Sponsored by lowellsun.com.

7 Entries

Timothy Kulis

December 22, 2019

To the Weisbberg family. Sorry to hear of your fathers passing. He was an icon in the Merrimack Valley in covering sports for the Lowell Sun Newspaper. I got to know your dad through my dad when he coached with Coach Murphy and wrestling Coach Rudolph at Dracut High School. Also as a student athlete at DHS remember your dad on the sidelines taken notes of the games. A great writer and a legend in the sports news rest in peace. Tim Kulis DHS 79

Frank Elliott

December 20, 2019

I never met Sam personally but I'll never forget him. I was a young football player at Lowell High in 1966 who went off to Michigan State upon graduation. My stay was short and I returned home to the expressed disappointment of some people. I felt embarrassed and defeated until my mother showed me an article in the Lowell Sun written by Sam Weisburg about me. In short Sam asked people to understand the issues confronting a young man in my situation and to encourage rather than criticize. I took from this article the message that I would be alright and that someone still believed in me. I like to think I have had a successful life since then playing football at Northeastern and graduating and then going on to become a Federal Agent serving my country. I wonder if any of that would have happen except for that article that my mother brought to me. Thank you Sam and may you rest in peace.

December 20, 2019

I first meet Mr Weisberg back in the early 1960's
and my dad was coaching with Coach Murphy at Dracut High School. As a young boy I read every article the he wrote in the Sun for its attention to detail and his ability to capture the key moments of a game whether a local high school game or a professional one. I continued to have conversations with Sam later as an athlete at Lowell High School and UMass Lowell. His generosity and memory always impressed me. A true legend and class act who set a standard for sport journalism that few have matched.
Bill Kulis
LHS 72

Barry F. Gougeon

December 19, 2019

Sam was a very gentle, humble and learned man. This community will long remember his significant contributions.

Barry F. Gougeon
Dracut, Massachusetts

Dennis Whitton

December 19, 2019

Sammy was one of a kind. I worked with him for years and was amazed by his energy and enthusiasm for the local sports scene. Rest in piece Sam.

Jeffrey Mcgarry

December 19, 2019

mr.wiesberg worked with my dad at the sun..my sincere condolences..

Dennis Scannell

December 19, 2019

Mr. Samuel G Weisberg, The end of an Era ...Every kid growing up on the playgrounds in the City of Lowell knew Sam Weisberg. He was a quiet, unassuming gentleman who could capture every contest perfectly with his typewriter. If he showed up in person you knew you were playing in a very big game. He made being involved in sports so important for both the young ballplayers and the spectators. The entire community was closer and drawn together by his columns each week. Thank you Mr. Weisberg....you were the VERY BEST ...Condolences to all Family Members and Friends...Dennis Scannell Keith Academy Lowell High School. UMass Lowell

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