Bombadil

May 29th, 2017 at 9:19 PM ^

His sports commentary will be missed. I always enjoyed Frank's contribution to NPR's morning edition every Wednesday.

I'm glad to see JUB get some opportunities to carry that torch.

superstringer

May 29th, 2017 at 9:39 PM ^

Wasnt Deford responsible for the SI april fool's joke -- about a Mets pitcher who threw at 120 mph but decided to pass on baseball bc of his religion. Even got photos of Mets players to accompany the article. That was while I was at UM and it was brilliant. The firdt paragraph was written cleverly so that the first letter of each wird in it spelled out "happy april fools."

Markley Mojo

May 29th, 2017 at 10:00 PM ^

https://www.si.com/vault/1975/07/28/606686/no-death-for-a-salesman

Some major then-and-now differences, but I liked how some things never seem to change:

"Recruiting, a damn-fool apparatus to begin with, is now completely out of hand and threatening to turn into a Doomsday Machine. Everybody cheats; well, everybody-but-me cheats, and gee, I might have to start cheating soon because everybody-but-me cheats."

And if you're going to try to make your program a big moneymaker, don't forget the winning:

'Says Bob Foreman, president of the Michigan Alumni Association, "In 16 cities, we have alumni groups that watch Michigan game films every week during the fall. Most colleges are delighted if they can get an alumni club to meet twice a year. But I don't kid myself, and neither does Don: they're not coming out to watch any team go 3-8." Nor are they going to give to a 3-8 school.'

 

bhinrichs

May 30th, 2017 at 8:19 AM ^

 

That was an awesome article.  Thank you!  I'd never read it before and didn't know all that background on Canham.

Canham even prints tickets with different scenes on them—the most beautiful and expensive football tickets in the nation, he says—because he figures people will save the stubs for scrapbooks, providing Michigan with an insidious kind of advertising.

He was so visionary and had so many interesting ideas, including that one.  He was right, and I fondly remember these growing up when my folks would bring them back from their once-a-year game, and still enjoy looking back at them to this day (along with the programs and my favorite feature - "This I Remember" :^).  I wish they would start doing it again.

 

 

rob f

May 29th, 2017 at 10:16 PM ^

His SI writings were probably the biggest reason that magazine used to be a must-subscribe. I often started with Deford's column inside the back page before I even got back from the mailbox.

Cruzcontrol75

May 29th, 2017 at 11:34 PM ^

Back in the 7th grade. The story of his daughter Alexandria who died from Cystic Fibrosis. Deford was a gifted writer. May he Rest In Peace and that he is reunited with his daughter.

jmdblue

May 30th, 2017 at 6:23 AM ^

Positive thoughts on his writing.  I've defended him several times in these pages.  He may have mailed it in a couple times in his advanced years, but truly a fine writer.  Rest in peace Frank.