Sports World Mourns Sudden Death Of NBC's Tim Russert
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| Russert Remembered As An Avid Bills Fan |
The sudden death Friday of NBC’s Tim Russert, 58, was “not only a monumental loss to television journalism and the Washington political community, it was a loss to baseball,” according to Madden, Langbecker & O’Keeffe of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. Russert since ’03 served on the Baseball HOF BOD and for three straight years he conducted panel shows with HOFers at the Yogi Berra Museum in New Jersey "which were fundraisers for the museum and later telecast on CNBC” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/16). Russert “grew up a Yankees fan and was a Nationals season-ticket holder. He was also well known for his love of the Buffalo Bills” (MLB.com, 6/13). In N.Y., Mike Lupica wrote Russert “was a baseball guy and a Buffalo Bills guy and when there was some big sports issue of the day he would be able to handle it on ‘Meet the Press’ as if all he knew was sports and all he did was sports” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/15). ESPN.com’s Peter Gammons wrote Russert “was a study for all of us who dabble in journalism. … He didn’t scream. He didn’t interrupt. He allowed those people he interviewed to speak their minds, and then he asked the appropriate questions, and he did so with respect and dignity, and knew too much to argue or to judge” (ESPN.com, 6/15). MLB Commissioner Bud Selig in a statement said Russert was “one of the great journalists of our generation” (MLB). Red Sox President & CEO Larry Lucchino in a statement added Russert “leaves a gigantic legacy of professionalism, journalistic excellence, authenticity and friendship that will inspire us and generations to follow us” (Red Sox).
TRIBUTES: On a special “Meet the Press” Sunday, NBC's Tom Brokaw looked back at all the times Russert had cited his support for the Bills, Sabres, Boston College Eagles and general sports enthusiasm over the years. One guest, MSNBC's Mike Barnicle, said, “You could never mention [former Bills K] Scott Norwood around Tim” ("Meet The Press," NBC, 6/15). Meanwhile, U.S. Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY) are "proposing to rename the road to the Bills'" Ralph Wilson Stadium after Russert. The resolution will be introduced today and would rename a portion of US Route 20 (N.Y. POST, 6/16). The Triple-A Int’l League Buffalo Bisons prior to their game Saturday played a video tribute and held a moment of silence for Russert (Bisons). The Denver Post has posted an ’02 interview of Russert by then-Post writer Adam Schefter (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 6/14).
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