Jerome Holtzman
Encyclopedia
Jerome Holtzman was an American
sportswriter
known for his writings on baseball
who served as the official historian for Major League Baseball
from 1999 until his death.
in 1943, Holtzman wrote for the paper through its merger with the Chicago Sun. His influence and viewpoints made him something of a legend among newspapermen. Southern humorist Lewis Grizzard
, who worked with Holtzman while sports editor of the Sun-Times
, called him "the dean of American baseball writers," and went on to say "He never smiled, but he had the keys to Cooperstown
. No major leaguer ever got into the Hall of Fame if Holtzman didn't want him there." Holtzman left the Sun-Times in 1981 for the Chicago Tribune
, remaining there until his retirement in 1999.
Holtzman was awarded the 1991 J. G. Taylor Spink Award by the Baseball Writers Association of America
(BBWAA). He was honored by the Associated Press
Sports Editors in 1997, who awarded him the Red Smith Award
, which is America’s most prestigious sports writing honor. He was elected to the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
in 2005.
Among Holtzman's contributions to the game during his career was the creation of the save statistic in 1959. It was adopted as an official statistic for the 1969 season, the first official new statistic since the run batted in
(RBI) in 1920.
On July 15, 2008, Holtzman suffered a stroke in Evanston, Illinois
. He died there on July 19.
. He wrote occasional columns on the mlb.com website. In 2001, Holtzman made the infamous decision to revert to counting walks
in as hits
, reviving an old debate; 1887 was the only season in which walks were counted as hits, an experiment which proved unpopular, but Holtzman took the point of view that once something is counted as a hit it must always remain so. Revised statistics appeared in the seventh edition of Total Baseball
, then the official encyclopedia of Major League Baseball. The move has been criticized (and largely ignored) by most other baseball historians.
and Chicago White Sox
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sportswriter
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...
known for his writings on baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
who served as the official historian for Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
from 1999 until his death.
Newspaper career
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Holtzman wrote for his hometown papers for over 50 years. Beginning as a copyboy at the Chicago Daily NewsChicago Daily News
The Chicago Daily News was an afternoon daily newspaper published between 1876 and 1978 in Chicago, Illinois.-History:The Daily News was founded by Melville E. Stone, Percy Meggy, and William Dougherty in 1875 and began publishing early the next year...
in 1943, Holtzman wrote for the paper through its merger with the Chicago Sun. His influence and viewpoints made him something of a legend among newspapermen. Southern humorist Lewis Grizzard
Lewis Grizzard
Lewis McDonald Grizzard, Jr. was an American writer and humorist, known for his Southern demeanor and commentary on the American South...
, who worked with Holtzman while sports editor of the Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
, called him "the dean of American baseball writers," and went on to say "He never smiled, but he had the keys to Cooperstown
Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown is a village in Otsego County, New York, USA. It is located in the Town of Otsego. The population was estimated to be 1,852 at the 2010 census.The Village of Cooperstown is the county seat of Otsego County, New York...
. No major leaguer ever got into the Hall of Fame if Holtzman didn't want him there." Holtzman left the Sun-Times in 1981 for the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, remaining there until his retirement in 1999.
Holtzman was awarded the 1991 J. G. Taylor Spink Award by 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...
(BBWAA). He 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 in 1997, 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. He was elected to the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame was opened July 7, 1981, in Netanya, Israel. It honors Jewish athletes and their accomplishments from anywhere around the world....
in 2005.
Among Holtzman's contributions to the game during his career was the creation of the save statistic in 1959. It was adopted as an official statistic for the 1969 season, the first official new statistic since the run batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
(RBI) in 1920.
On July 15, 2008, Holtzman suffered a stroke in Evanston, Illinois
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
. He died there on July 19.
Official historian
In 1999, Holtzman retired as a newspaper writer and was named the official historian of Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. He wrote occasional columns on the mlb.com website. In 2001, Holtzman made the infamous decision to revert to counting walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
in as hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, reviving an old debate; 1887 was the only season in which walks were counted as hits, an experiment which proved unpopular, but Holtzman took the point of view that once something is counted as a hit it must always remain so. Revised statistics appeared in the seventh edition of Total Baseball
Total Baseball
Total Baseball is a baseball encyclopedia first compiled by John Thorn and Pete Palmer in 1989. The latest edition, published in 2004, is its eighth...
, then the official encyclopedia of Major League Baseball. The move has been criticized (and largely ignored) by most other baseball historians.
Books
Holtzman wrote or edited more than a dozen books, including No Cheering in the Press Box, a collection of interviews with 18 sportswriters that was published in 1974. A revised edition in 1995 added interviews with six new subjects. Among his other notable books are The Commissioners, which contained biographies of baseball's commissioners and a history of the office, and Baseball Chicago Style, a history of the Chicago CubsChicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
and Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
.