Frank Deford was a towering figure in sports journalism who, during his decades-long career, often left people both charmed and challenged by his sharp words and penetrating insights. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1938, he dived into the world of sports at a time when writing about athletics wasn’t just about the scores, but about capturing the human drama behind the games. Deford, who worked extensively for Sports Illustrated, NPR, and other outlets, brought a larger-than-life personality and a rare intellect that set a high standard for sports media. By the time he passed away in 2017, he had earned countless accolades and the enduring admiration of readers across the nation. Why? Because he dared to write about sports with depth and humanity, qualities that the overly sensitive segments of society often overlook.
Sports Illustrated Stalwart: Starting with Sports Illustrated in the early 1960s, Deford grew to become one of the publication’s most distinguished voices. He crafted narratives that went beyond the box score, enriching readers’ experiences and shaping the magazine's storied reputation. He wrote as if sport was a stage on which society’s dramas played out—a notion that seems foreign in today’s era of shallow takes and virtue signaling.
The NPR Contrarian: Deford’s stint on NPR as a weekly commentator brought his wit to radio, covering everything from the absurdity of endless bowl games to the fierce debates over pay-for-play. He was a master of nuanced opinion, and even in a liberal-leaning audience, his thought-provoking takeaways resonated. His tenure there showed that engaging content isn’t always about echoing the loudest voices but exploring the less traveled alleys of thought.
Bridging Sports & Culture: Deford understood that athletics could serve as a mirror for a broader human experience. During a time when the political and cultural spectrum wasn’t as divided into echo chambers, he varied his focus to cover broader topics that appealed to the common man. He regularly epiphanized how matters like race, gender, and politics intersected with sports. To him, sports were not an escape from reality but a prism to understand it better.
Pioneer of Athlete Narratives: Before the age of viral tweets from athletes, Deford was narrating athletes’ stories with the depth and precision you'd expect from a seasoned novelist. He portrayed them not as one-dimensional figures but as layered individuals entangled in the pressures of fame and expectations. Consider his profile of Howard Cosell, which brought the complexities of the man to the forefront, eschewing the cliches.
Archived Genius: Today’s journalists could stand to learn from his style—sharp, assertive, and yet empathetic. Frank Deford's body of work, including novels, books, and thousands of articles, showcases the versatility and gravitas good sportswriting demands. His archives are still available, serving as a guidebook for those who dare go beyond the commonplace to seek a deeper truth.
Honors Deserved and Reserved: Over his career, he received numerous awards, including six U.S. Sportswriter of the Year honors and the National Humanities Medal. While awards are decals of fame in the industry, what Deford earned was truth for the ages. Yet, somehow, the importance of an articulate truth-teller in sports journalism today has dimmed, eclipsed by click-bait culture.
Champion of Women’s Sports: Another aspect often lauded but perhaps overlooked by the mainstream, is his championing of women’s sports. Way before it became trendy, Frank Deford shone a spotlight on female athletes with the respect and depth they deserved, understanding that sports should be an arena for all voices and talents, irrespective of gender.
The Penning of Alex: His novel, Alex: The Life of a Child, harks back to his literary prowess outside of sports. Inspired by the heartbreaking loss of his daughter to cystic fibrosis, the book has served as an insightful narrative on life’s fragility and resilience. It’s a testament to his ability to marshal personal tragedy into a poignant and powerful form of storytelling.
An International Sports Advocate: Aside from writing, Deford was actively involved in advocating for cystic fibrosis research and was also a trustee of the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. His unwavering commitment to various causes highlights, again, the comprehensive man behind the sportscaster’s voice.
A Master Sign-off: Every Deford piece, whether on radio or in print, always seemed to end on the right note, leaving audiences better informed but also craving more. This flair is something to be envied, particularly when most media today favors virality over vitality.
Frank Deford showed us time and again that sports were worth more than their commercialized parts. He spoke his mind, wrote with clarity, and handled a pen as if it were a surgeon’s scalpel. Walk into the library, pull out a Frank Deford anthology, and understand that true sports journalism isn't dead; it’s just buried under today's digital detritus.