Dec 11, 1926 – Jul 19, 2008
Jerome Holtzman, born on Dec 11, 1926 in Chicago, IL, passed away on Jul 19, 2008 in Evanston, IL.
Obituary
CHICAGO (AP) — Jerome Holtzman, a longtime baseball writer who made the Hall of Fame, created the saves rule and later became Major League Baseball's official historian, has died. He was 81.
Holtzman died Saturday in Evanston, according to a release from the Chicago White Sox.
Holtzman won the J.G. Spink Award, an award given annually to the one baseball writer who exhibited "meritorious contributions" to baseball writing, and a spot in the Hall of Fame in 1989.
Known as "The Dean," Holtzman worked at the Chicago Sun-Times and the Daily Times, its predecessor, before joining the Chicago Tribune in 1981. He retired in 1999, when he was named MLB's official historian.
Holtzman began his career as a 17-year-old copy boy in 1942, and served two years in the Marine Corps during World War II before returning to journalism. He was assigned the baseball beat in 1957.
Feeling that earned run averages and won-lost records were not the most accurate reflection of relievers' effectiveness, Holtzman created the formula for "saves" in 1959. A decade later, in 1969, it was adopted by the game's Official Rules Committee.
Holtzman also wrote six books, including "No Cheering in the Press Box," in which he interviewed other well-known writers.
Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press
Jerome was a generous and supportive colleague. We got to the Tribune sports department the same year, but of course he was Jerome Holtzman. I had to buy the books, but I got to spend a lot of memorable afternoons talking baseball with him in the old Wrigley Field press box. Like Ben Bentley and a few others, he was an American orginal, Chicago style.
Steve Daley
August 12, 2008 | Washington, DC
SEMPER FI MARINE. THATS WHY YOU WERE GREAT. YOU HAD MARINE IN YOU.
PETER RANOIA
July 27, 2008 | NOTTINGHAM, PA
Remembered By
Richard H. Herrick
July 24, 2008 | Costa Mesa, CA
Jerome became like a second father to me.
I grew up reading his baseball coverage in the Chicago Sun-Times and aspired to follow in his footsteps. The dream came true in 1983.
Jerome was with the Tribune by then, but he was great to me. It was an honor to compete against him as a baseball writer in Chicago. I even started smoking his brand of cigars. He gave me a lot of great advice. He told me to talk with everyone, not just the high-profile stars. "Never just breeze past the...
Joel Bierig
July 23, 2008 | Frankfort, IL
Jerry was a high school buddy of my dad's. I only had the pleasure of meeting him once in Oct. 2006, at my dad's wake. Jerry was not in the best of health at that time, however, he came anyway to pay respects to my dad and our family. I was truely touched that he made the effort to come see my dad for the last time.
Kathy Mallo
July 23, 2008 | Elmhurst, IL
Jesus Loves Me!!
Thomas Widgeon
July 23, 2008 | Eastville, VA
In My Pocket
I have memories in my pocket.
They rattle among the change.
My memories of you are treasures I carry wherever I go.
They are stored in bits and pieces, parts of a beautiful whole
They give me comfort when I think I am alone.
Yes, I have memories in my pocket, like so much other stuff I keep there.
But of all the treasures I have, it’s the memories of you that are the most precious.
Anonymous
July 22, 2008
May the God of comfort, comfort the family during this time of deep sadness. May you all find peace today and forever. Psalms 83:18
J Mikell
July 22, 2008 | Savannah, GA
REST IN PEACE, JEROME HOLTZMAN
D.L. ZIMMERMAN
July 22, 2008 | TOLEDO, OH.
